DNA and Other Bonds

By Hally Franz –

It’s the reason we share the two greatest sorrows of our lives. I know without asking her that, aside from our individual challenges and heartbreaks, my sister and I would both identify our parents’ divorce and our father’s sudden passing at 61 as the saddest times we’ve known. It explains why our husbands still can’t tell us apart on the telephone and why we look more alike all the time. When we come up with the same word or thought in a situation, we know it is all about nurture and nature, our shared histories and DNA.

Sisterhood is a special relationship. While I am fortunate to have a biological sister, I also find great joy in my pseudo-sister connections. Isn’t it interesting how many ways there are for women to relate to one another?

Sometimes we feel close to others simply because we’ve known them so long. I live in a small town and attended the same public school system for 13 years. Those of us who entered kindergarten together have a common bond, and, even if we’re not in one another’s lives, there is something meaningful about our shared experiences.

Kids have a way of bringing together like-minded moms. I appreciate the fellowship that I have with other mothers whom I sit with on the bench, work with on school parties, and telephone when there is a sleepover in the works. We’re all in the parenting trenches together, and their company encourages me.

Our interests help us cultivate friendships as well. Some connect over dice at bunko parties, some while on the gym’s treadmills, and others with pictures, stickers and scrapbooks. I have been blessed to meet a group of ladies in my book club. We have a great time reading and ranting each month. We share opinions and confidences, and sometimes, a lively 80s karaoke session.

The women in my church have what we call “The Three D’s Gathering” each month: dinner, devotion and dessert. I love these evenings. They are a chance to become closer to my sisters in Christ. We learn and laugh and grow in faith. We plan to be sisters now and in heaven.

Whether they’ve come through science or circumstance, I love my sisters! And I love the Lord for bringing them into my life.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for the wonderful sister relationships You have brought into my life. May we encourage and uplift one another in Christian love.

“At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her” (Ruth 1:14 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. Hally sees each day as a new exercise, where routines change and weights vary. Her goal is to maintain all-around fitness for service, while training her children to be competitive, compassionate and Christ-like in the world in which we live.

Hiding Behind Trees

By Peter Lundell –

I was walking by a junior high school physical education class and saw two boys hiding behind trees. The trees were six inches in diameter, maybe less. Anyone who looked their way would have seen these boys looking like fools trying to hide behind skinny trees. I stopped and stared at them, partly to make them nervous, but mainly for my own entertainment. Amazingly no one in the class noticed them, or maybe they did and paid no attention. The whistle blew and the boys ran out as if they’d participated all along.

Ding-a-lings. They might have felt good about succeeding in their little scheme, but I wonder if they’re taking little steps in a lifetime pattern of avoidance. I hope I’m overreacting here.

Yet it struck me that people can live their whole lives that way—hiding in the open and pretending to participate. Or not even bothering to pretend and always being spectators. Confession: I’ve done it, probably more times than I’d care to inventory.

How do we do this? By watching and listening without doing. By procrastinating on an idea until it fades. By learning and talking about something without putting it into practice. We’ve all “hidden behind trees” in some way.

My concern is that we fully engage with the life we’ve been given—rather than make ourselves comfortable and let life pass us by.

My deeper concern is that we fully engage with the spiritual life God offers us—rather than get complacent and let God’s promises and possibilities pass us by.

We all engage differently. But whatever we do, it will cost us time and energy and sometimes money. It takes effort and may involve risk. But it will be worth it. Always. And for eternity.

PRAYER: Lord, rebuke me if I ever hide behind trees. Lead me to engage in the world, to be a living temple of Your Spirit in the world around me.

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9, NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Peter Lundell, author of the award-winning book Prayer Power. A rising new voice on connecting with God, Lundell is a pastor, Bible college teacher, and conference speaker. Visit him at www.PeterLundell.com for his inspirational “Connections” and free downloads of articles, parables, short stories, and book chapters.

Caleb’s Choice

By Carin LeRoy –

Have you ever been around negative and complaining people? They are not pleasant to be around. Many years ago I knew a friend who had a negative outlook on most everything. You name it, she complained about it. I liked this friend, but when I was around her I felt dragged down, too. Her pessimistic attitude had become a way of life, and she refused to look at the positive side of anything. From my perspective, her life was miserable because she chose to make it that way.

Negative attitude sees the worst scenario or the gloomiest outcome. Discouragement, unhappiness and cynicism can take hold in our hearts. God is not seen as being in control, and our faith becomes shallow as we choose to perceive life from this angle.

Grumbling and complaining against God resulted in the Israelites wandering 40 years in the wilderness. Because of their negativity and lack of faith, God prevented all but two from entering the Promised Land. “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, as surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land” (Numbers 14:26-30 NIV). God sees complaining and negativity as a serious offense.

But Caleb was different. He followed God with his whole heart. “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to” (Numbers 14:24 NIV). When others around him were frozen in fear and grumbling against God, Caleb spied out the land knowing he trusted a God who would conquer all the difficulties the Israelites faced. He was allowed to enter the land as his reward. Caleb made a choice to trust in a God who was much bigger than his circumstances.

Negativism not only affects us, but influences those around us—our family, friends or coworkers. Be like Caleb; have a spirit that is willing to trust in an all-powerful God. Challenges will come, but what attitude will you have? It is a choice. Decide to be positive.

PRAYER: Lord, help me not to be a complaining and negative person. Give me a heart that sees You bigger than my circumstances and a willingness to be positive.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things” ( Philippians 4:8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.

Giving It Up to Gain Him

By Jarrod Spencer –

Have you ever lost any or all of your belongings to a fire? I know a family who experienced two house fires within 5 years. One fire basically destroyed everything they possessed. The other fire—only a partial loss.

Most people who experience house fires only have to suffer through it once. Luckily, I have not had to live through one yet and hope I never do. However, can you imagine how you would react to this type of tragedy and loss? Imagine your belongings no longer being around because a fire destroyed everything. I’ve often wondered what inanimate object(s) I would take with me as I escaped a house fire. Have you thought about it or made a list/plan?

Whatever you took out of your house would only be a fraction of what would be left to burn. All those tangible memories would be gone. All the heirlooms, gone. All the toys, gone. All the clothes, gone. Not a pleasant thought. That is why there are a few areas in one’s life that are more important than things. The first one is family, both biological and spiritual. The second one is your faith.

Giving things up can be difficult but it may cause us to be more appreciative. Maybe it would help to see what we can give up in order to understand in part what it took for Christ to sacrifice so much for us.

First of all, the Apostle Paul mentions in Philippians 3 several things he accomplished in his life. Fortunately, they were nothing compared to what he found through a life in Christ. For us, may we press on toward that which is found in Christ, rather than what’s contained on a resume.

Something else to examine is that we may find it helpful to give something up for a short time to give us a hint of what Christ gave up for us. In the end we will gain an appreciation for Him, and we could also gain a new perspective on life.

Just give it up—for Him!

PRAYER: Father, I want things. However, things are not going to make me happier, as much as I think they would. May I learn from what Your Son did to give up Himself for me. May I learn to give up more than I want. May I model His example as I go through life.

“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:3-8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God to minister to others. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.

Conquering the Tower of Terror

By Elaine James –

Have you gone on the ride at Walt Disney World called The Tower of Terror? I reflect on the time when I was standing in the line, asking myself, “Why I am I doing this?”

I looked at the evidence: others went on and got off and didn’t die, faint or get sick! Based on that, I decided I could do this—I had to experience this. Of course, then I had the bragging rights to say “I survived The Tower of Terror.” I actually laughed myself through it.

When the movie The Passion of the Christ was out, while waiting in line, I knew people who chose not to go see it. Looking at the people leaving the theater, I was left anticipating and asking myself, “Why I am I doing this?” I looked at the evidence: others were leaving the theater in total silence and even crying. In this case I decided I must witness this myself.

As I watched the movie, I was filled with agony as Jesus’ torture went on and on. Only God could survive such torture. Anne Graham Lotz was quoted as saying, “Many want to say the Romans killed Jesus, the Jews, or the government. But our magnificent Jesus gave up His last breath and refused to breathe anymore. He chose to die for us!”

Do you know about James, the half brother of Jesus? At first, he did not want part of the adventure of Jesus. He refused the evidence and stories. He was his own person. Then James got in line for the ride of his life after he experienced the journey of Jesus’ death. He wanted the challenge. He wrote the powerful book of James in the Bible that teaches us how to live the Christian life.

The Tower of Terror taught me to conquer my fears. The Passion of the Christ brought me the profound truth to embrace Christ and understand what He did for me. James learned the same things and from it ended up writing a very direct letter concerning Christian growth. If James were living today, I believe his words to us would be: “Slow down, sit down, quiet down, learn, love and live like Jesus Christ.”

Do you avoid facing the challenges James addressed regarding living the Christian life? Why not get in line and accept this challenge? You will experience the exhilarating accomplishment I did through a new life with Christ.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, please help me experience more of You in my life as I face everyday challenges.

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Elaine James, author of the tract JOURNEY, certified personality trainer and graduate of Christian Leaders Authors and Speakers Seminars. She is a prayer ministry counselor, accomplished actress, and certified Christian storyteller. Her dramatic performances have made many aware of their problem with Major Mind Overload, and their need to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. Elaine is a recycler—nothing God teaches her is wasted. www.elainejames.com

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