Getting Stronger, Even if it Kills Me

By Kim Stokely –

A young friend (I now consider anyone under the age of 40 to be young) recently posted on Facebook, “It’s amazing how running makes you feel better. I love endorphins!”

I stared at the post for several seconds. I reread it two or three times to make sure I understood her meaning. Then I posted the following snarky comment in response, “I can safely say that running has never made me feel that way. Although I always feel better after I exercise, I think it’s my body’s way of thanking God that I’m still alive!”

I hate to run. Actually, I hate all exercise. Hate is probably too gentle a word. I despise it with every fiber of my being. I have nightmares of passing out on our elliptical machine only to be found hours later by one of my children while the pedals mysteriously keep turning and whacking me in the head. It’s quite frightening. It reminds me of the phrase, “That which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.” I can only hope my battle with the elliptical is making me stronger, because most days, I feel like I’m losing the war.

My loathing of exercise is one of the reasons why I hate action movies. They depress me. I know I’d be the person left behind to be captured by the terrorists or become dinner for the aliens because I couldn’t keep up with the rest of the group. And those scenes of the heroine clutching onto a cliff or window ledge by her fingers? I cringe every time, not because I’m scared the heroine won’t hold on, but because I know, if that was me, I’d be plummeting to my demise in a matter of seconds.

Why is it so often the things that are best for us are the hardest to do? It’s far easier to stay in bed an extra hour in the morning than get up and exercise. And how come we can stay up an extra half hour to watch a television show, but opening up our Bible before going to bed is so difficult? I think it’s because the things that are the best for us, don’t provide us with instant rewards. An extra hour in bed makes that morning a little easier to handle. Making the effort to exercise means working harder each day for a long time before our bodies begin to transform into leaner, healthier machines. The laughter a half-hour comedy show provides is an instant distraction to the troubles of the day. Spending a half-hour in God’s word means taking the time to examine our hearts in the light of His truth, and letting it work its way into the very fabric of our souls.

The best things in life aren’t free, and they certainly aren’t easy, but they are worth the effort. And so I’m off to face the instrument of torture, I mean the elliptical. Wish me luck. And kids, if I’m not in the kitchen when you get home from school, please make sure I haven’t passed out while getting stronger.

Fear Not

By Liz Cowen Furman –

We own a small family-run motel near Yellowstone in Dubois, Wyoming. It is one of my favorite places on the planet. We spend our summers there repairing the damage of hired managers and “old building syndrome,” while transforming it back into a profitable business. On our off time we fly fish, rock hound, and go tubing down the Wind River that borders the motel property. To us Dubois is a slice of paradise. It is however, a seasonal business because winters there are brutal.

Last autumn, I was there later in the year than we have usually been. One crisp evening, I was in the lobby checking emails late and hoping for some business when I thought I saw a face peeking in the bottom of the window out of the corner of my eye. We had a prowler earlier in the evening that broke a window, very rare for Dubois, so I was a bit uneasy anyway. When I saw it again I was suddenly too frozen with fear to move. I did what I always do when I am terrified; I started praying scripture out loud (because no one can stand against the Word of God).

As I prayed I mustered the courage to do the thing everyone in a horror movie knows not to do—go toward the threat. Slowly I stood from my chair and grabbing a fireplace poker made my way to the door.

I reached for the handle readying myself to do whatever I needed to (like slam it back shut). I threw open the door when much to my great surprise (and hers) I found myself face to face with a little doe. She was helping herself to the flowers in my pots next to the office door. She was adorable there with a mouthful of late season petunias. I laughed out loud. She had the unmistakable look of a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. We stared at each other for a moment or two then she moseyed around to the front of the motel to munch more there. She was just tall enough to look in through the bottom of the office door window.

I went back into the lobby shaking my head at how silly I can be. Getting myself all worked up imagining what might be out there; the preverbal monster under the bed. Isn’t it funny how fear of the unknown paralyzes us? Before I started praying and walked to the door I was glued to my chair in fear.

Every time I start to worry about what will happen with our economy, or our country, or my teenaged children (we have three teenaged boys), or our finances or or or…you get the idea, I have to say to myself out loud what the Bible tells us 365 times. “Do not be afraid.” I run to the Word and look for the passages like Deuteronomy 31:5-7 that say, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” And He does go with us, never forsaking us!

Alaska – Land of Adventure

By Judy Davis –

The sun was rising over the mountains when our airplane descended into the remote wilds of Alaska. The splendid, snowcapped mountain peaks with the rushing rivers were an awesome sight. I gazed in awe at the stunning contrast of the snowcapped mountains against the blueness of the Gulf of Alaska.

It was at that moment I remembered the Scripture: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good… Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array” (Genesis 1:31, 2:1).

After unpacking and settling in our motel, we met many wonderful people. They told us about all the different places to visit. We had a wonderful opportunity to see much of the native culture.

We drove over to an amusement park. Our children were delighted riding all the rides and seeing the thrilling shows. Watching the native Eskimos weave their braided rugs and make colorful beads added to the adventure.

We visited North Pole, Alaska. The house Santa lived in had silver and gold tinsel, huge red and green bows and a sidewalk covered in snow. It was a cold and windy day and as we started walking up to the front door I slipped and fell on the sidewalk. My wig blew off! When my husband leaned down and asked, “Are you OK?” I hollered, “Yes, run get my wig before it blows away!”

Moose and caribou scraping snow aside to find bits of scraps was a sight to see. Huge bears with their cubs walking beside the road made taking photos fun. Camping at Mount McKinley National Park in a tent was an added treat especially with signs on trees stating: “This is Grizzly Country. This is their home. You are a visitor.”

The beautiful northern lights (aurora borealis), all different colors splashed across the heavens. Visiting Alaska was an adventure. A trip we enjoyed immensely and will remember forever.

The long days of summer were exciting in Alaska. The longest day was June 22 and the sun came up and stayed all day and night. On the shortest day December 22, the sun rose and set almost at the same time.

The remoteness of Alaska appeal to many seeking a slower, simpler life. As we packed to leave to return to our home, I we knew we had been on a journey many would love to see. We have traveled to numerous states, but Alaska was one of the most magnificent places God created.

Advice to My Graduate

By Janet Morris Grimes –

To My Daughter:

As a high-school graduate, I realize you are past these teachable moments, but I wanted to cram in one last life lesson to summarize everything I had hoped to teach you. Consider this the Cliffs Notes Version. Read and repeat as needed.

1. Don’t pick up hitchhikers. Nor should you become one.
2. Starting a new project is much harder than finishing.
3. The guys you think are cute now will be bald within ten years. And most 80-year-olds look the same. Dig deeper.
4. Don’t be jealous of the people who get the most attention. In your twenties, this is called being high-maintenance.
5. Pay attention to your car. If you don’t, you will learn this lesson on the side of a road. Refer to #1.
6. The happiest people on earth are those who do the most for others. Be one of them.
7. Money can’t buy happiness, but it is a blessing in the right hands. I suspect that God is always watching to see who can handle it.
8. God can’t bless a bitter heart. Your job is to keep yours from becoming one. He will do the rest.
9. The people who play it safe never score a home run.
10. Never be your own worst enemy.
11. Allow God to direct your steps with the little things so that you will recognize His voice when it gets to the big ones.
12. Never believe what you see on the news each night. Or on reality television. The truth has usually been edited out completely.
13. A phone call would be appreciated on the day you realize that I knew what I was talking about.
14. God has a plan for your life. And so does Satan. Enough said.
15. Life is a marathon. Keep running in the right direction, even on days you want to give up. There are no shortcuts. The winners are the finishers.
16. Surround yourself with people who help you feel closer to God.
17. Peace is most needed in the midst of chaos, not when things are going well. Hold on to the things that matter.
18. Write out your dreams. Give them permission to come true. They are there for a reason.
19. Find a way to get paid for what you love to do. That is the difference between a job and a career.
20. It is impossible to worship and worry at the same time. So worship. As much as possible.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NIV).

This Just Makes Good Scents

By Rhonda Rhea –

My favorite places to write are coffee shops. There’s something about the aroma of so many good coffees that seems to cause more of my neurons to start firing. Somebody should make a scratch-n-sniff version I can take home. But since I haven’t found one, when there’s a deadline looming, I head to my fave café spot until I’m finished. I think I almost won the employee of the month award there once.

Last time I walked into “my” café just for a fun lunch, I took a long sniff and said, “Mmm, smells like a book deadline in here.” Another writer friend fired right back, “Hmm, smells like procrastination to me.” Potato/Po-tah-to.

They do have a great potato/po-tah-to soup on the lunch menu at my coffee café. It’s not often I have any left over, but I did a few months ago. I packaged it up to take home and got it as far as my car, but then I forgot it. My son borrowed my car for a week or so and the soup ended up shoved way under the seat in the back.

By the time I got back in my car, it made my eyes water. It didn’t help that on top of the potato soup stench, Daniel had left several socks in a kind of compost pile. The whole car smelled like the monkey cages at the zoo. This was scratching and sniffing of a whole different order. Some smells are hard to ignore. Even with the windows down. Even with the windows down for several weeks in a row. It’s clear that sometimes a to-go order loses something in translation. Or in transportation.

In Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith,” we read that God gave Abraham a to-go order of a different kind. What did Abraham do? He took off! Nevermind the where. He packed up his faith and hit the road. “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going,” (Hebrews 11:8). What a great example of faith and obedience—going!

We’ve been given a to-go order too. In John 20:21, the resurrected Jesus said to His followers, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And He made no bones about it in Matthew 28:19-20. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” His “therefore go” is our charge. What a privilege to be sent on such a thrilling mission by the Savior Himself.

As we go, we’re His billboards. And we’re spreading the sweet perfume of Christ at the same time. This is so much better than anything scratch-n-sniff. “But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place,” (2 Corinthians 2:14, HCSB). The aroma of Christ! Others are influenced—changed, even, by Christ—when we wear His perfume. We’re sent. And we’re His scent.

It’s a glorious aroma. No matter how long you drive it around in your car.

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