Tag Archives: God

A Short Story

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A friend of mine stopped by the other day. He was disgusted and distressed because he could not find his phone. As he is very phone-reliant (aren’t we all?), he was worried and anxious about the coming ordeal. You know – not finding it, having to purchase another one, having vital information irretrievable for a length of time, etc. On top of that, his computer was not working.

Side note: In the day we live, tech problems must cause the most stress of any single category of stress-inducers. We put a lot of trust in those little devices, allowing them to rule our lives and then when they disappoint us somehow, we are destroyed. Maybe our trust is misplaced? Maybe we should always rely on something or Someone who will never crash or send you an error message. Ah…Now, back to my story…

After I did what I always do (try to fix his problem myself) – “Where did you have it last?” “Who saw it last?” blah blah…I realized he’d already done all that. He’d already walked backwards in his timeline to figure out where that pesky phone could be.

“I’ve looked all over in my car. It’s just not there. And now, it’s dead so I can’t even use ‘Find My Phone,” he told me. We commiserated together until I finally listened to that still, small voice in my spirit that said, “Tell him you’ll pray he finds it.”

“Really, God? That’s pretty specific. What if I say that and he never finds it? How would that look?” – the argument with God went swiftly through my head. But I obeyed (YAY!) and said, “You know, I’ll be praying you find your phone.”

He promptly looked up and said, “God, will You find my phone for me?” (that kind of shocked me). But then God spoke right through me (I know this because it was way wiser than anything I would have said on my own) – “He already knows where it is. You just need to ask Him to tell you.”

We laughed a little and he left. And I prayed. I really did. “Lord, show him exactly where to look, even if he’s looked there before. Reveal the location to him and let him see You in action in his life. Answer his prayer to increase his faith in You.”

That was it – that was my 3-second prayer.

About 20 minutes later I got a call – from my friend’s cell phone! Obviously, he found it…in his car…after looking there multiple times. And he gave all the credit to God. “God found my phone for me. He answered your prayer.”

I’m sure I smiled for the rest of the morning. God is so good. He cares about every detail of your life. He wants to show up in big and small ways for you. Trust Him with every care, every worry, every tech issue…He is faithful.

Psalm4_1

 

To Tell The Truth

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The old television show “To Tell The Truth” featured a panel of four celebrities whose objective is to correctly identify  a described contestant who has an unusual occupation or has undergone an unusual experience. This “central character” is accompanied by two impostors who pretend to be the central character. The celebrity panelists question the three contestants; the impostors are allowed to lie, but the central character is sworn “to tell the truth”. After questioning, the panel attempts to identify which of the three challengers is telling the truth and is thus the central character.

The show expects people to lie…and lie very well. The challengers get paid if they fool the judges into believing the lies. Satan is like that. Instead of two other contestants lying to convince the panelists that they are the real person, we have the devil and our pasts which try to convince us that we aren’t really who we say we are. But the best part – instead of having a group of celebrities question every one and vote – we have the Creator of the Universe, our heavenly Father, who declares who we are for all to hear…we just need to believe it. Because HE really is telling the truth.

What is the Truth?

Most of the time we believe certain things about ourselves based upon our experiences, or things people have said to us or about us. On the surface, those things may appear to be true, but usually, we believe lies about ourselves.

For instance: I used to think that I was mediocre, just average. I talked about my “mousy brown” hair (before it was this beautiful silver), and being overweight. I refused to believe it when someone said I was pretty…because that isn’t what I saw in the mirror. I was average in sports talent, less than average in musical talent and certainly not particularly special. I “faked” confidence because inside I was trembling and scared that people would see the “real” me…a phony. I thought if people really knew me, they wouldn’t like me…so I stayed on the sidelines and watched others do talented and successful things…all the time, wishing I was brave enough to get out there and try something big.

When I became a Christian, I didn’t automatically change my thinking. It has taken the unconditional love of my heavenly Father; love and words of affirmation from my husband and then making the choice to believe the truth and not the enemy’s lies about me – all have combined to help me see myself as I truly am…and as you are too.

Who you are in Christ is all that matters…

But let’s look at a few of the lies the enemy of our souls would like us to believe…

Lie #1 – Satan tells us that we are sinners because we sin

Yes – we were sinners, but the blood of Jesus washed away our sins when we asked Jesus to be our Savior. We are no longer sinners, but saints because God has declared us righteous through the blood of Jesus.

1 John 1:7 –  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

When God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin, He sees an adopted son or daughter, brought into the Kingdom of God through His only Son’s sacrifice. You are no longer a sinner – You are a child of God.

Lie #2 – Satan says our identity comes from what we have done.

He wants us to believe that if we were cheaters, liars, thieves, adulterers, cowards before we accepted Christ, than that is still who we are…but that is a lie.

We are not those things any longer. Our identity is not what we used to do…God’s Word says our identity comes from what Jesus did for us. Instead of a liar, I am now a member of Christ’s Body…instead of a cheat, I am now redeemed and forgiven…instead of a coward, afraid of everyone, I am now a friend of God. And I am free from any condemnation – one translation says I no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud.

“The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.” Romans 8:2 (The Message)

Romans 8:1-2 – There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

You are free – no longer chained to the lie that we are what we have done in the past.

Ok – here’s Lie #3 – The devil says your identity comes from what other people say about you.

We’ve all believed this at some point or another. I had coaches who told me I was average…a good teammate but never good enough. I had classmates who told me I was too smart to be their friend…I wasn’t any fun. I wasn’t ambitious enough…I wasn’t pretty enough…I wasn’t outgoing enough…I was never enough!

But the truth of God’s word says my identity comes from what HE says about me…what He says about you!

God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made…He says you are chosen and He has a plan and purpose for your life. God says you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. You have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. You have been bought with a price and you belong to Him.

Psalm 139:13-14 – For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[a]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

1 Corinthians 3:16 – Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?;

Ephesians 1:3-8… just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body[a]and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Stop believing the lies that we are what someone says we are – believe the truth that you are what GOD says you are.

And finally, Lie #4 – the devil will try to convince you that your behavior tells you what to believe about yourself.

The truth is that what you believe about yourself will determine your behavior. When you realize this, you can see who you really are…no longer stuck in the lies but choosing to believe the truth.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – “…has given us the ministry of reconciliation…ambassadors for Christ.”

We don’t have to sit back and accept anything…we had DO what Christ has given us to do.

Ephesians 3:12 – “…in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ[a] who strengthens me.”

The Apostle Paul thought of himself as the “least of all the saints,” – talk about a self-esteem issue…yet he didn’t let that keep him from moving forward, doing the work God had given him to do…and with boldness. He may not have been a naturally outgoing guy – but he knew what God said about him, and accomplished it all because he refused to believe the devil’s lies.

How about you?

Instead of saying, “I really screwed up at work, so I must not be smart” – we should say “I screwed up, so I need to admit it and move on, because God has given me the mind of Christ, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Instead of saying, “My kids are struggling right now, I must be an awful parent” – try going with “My family is struggling right now, but I have access to the God of the universe who loves me & my family. He wants the very best for me. He will give me wisdom to know how to pray and what to do or not do for my kids.”

Or, “I was a bully, treated my parents badly, hated my teachers, disobeyed the law so God can’t really love me, I’m such a rotten person.” You don’t have to be that person anymore. Your behavior doesn’t mean that is who you are. Once you start believing the truth about yourself – then you’ll start to see behavior changes.

I used to only try those things that I was comfortable with. I was afraid so I didn’t attempt anything outside my comfort zone. Because I never thought I was enough…I behaved that way. I was told I wasn’t good enough at any sport so, instead of fighting against that opinion, I believed the lie and just went with it. I didn’t push back against the enemy’s schemes…I went along with all the lies. I was nervous and scared of being noticed, I tried to blend in…instead of standing out anywhere. I didn’t want to embarrass myself so I never tried anything new. I went with what was safe…all the time. I allowed my fears to rule my behavior and in the process, I missed out on the excitement of adventure.

It was all a lie. My behavior doesn’t mean that’s really who I am. In reality, my belief about myself will determine my behavior. And I needed to change my belief…I needed to believe what God says about me…and you need to believe what God says about you too!

Read this out loud – so your ears can hear what God says!

I am accepted…therefore I am renewed day by day. I am a friend of God so there is nothing too difficult for me. As a child of God, I have no reason to fear. I always have access to God – what can man possibly do to me?

I am secure…forever free from condemnation, I cannot be separated from God’s love. I am established, anointed and sealed by God.

I am significant…the salt and the light of the world, seated with Christ in heavenly realms, a branch of the true vine. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

You do not have to believe the devil’s lies about who you are…God’s truth is the final authority. Now you need to tell yourself the truth. You can stand up and proclaim that you are accepted, you are secure and you are significant.

Would the real ­­­­YOU please stand up?!

My Favorite Surprise

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I was pretty stuck when thinking about what to blog about today. Most of the day I was nursing a bad attitude. I was irritated about almost everything, spinning anything to my “Poor me” perspective.

Then…I received a very nice surprise. My favorite (and only) sister walked into my office. She had come to town unannounced to get some freelance work done and suddenly, my gloomy, rainy, crappy day got a ray of sunshine. 

Isn’t it cool how God knows what we need when we need it? Many of you will call it a coincidence that my sister just happened to surprise me on a day when I was feeling blue but I’m not one who puts much stock in coincidences. I believe God cares about me, and desires to send “suddenlies” into my life. I believe God wants to show me His love, His grace and His favor in the everyday circumstances of life, even to orchestrating surprises to lift my spirits. 

My beautiful sister surprised me with her visit today, but she didn’t surprise God. He knew how blessed I would be to see her face, feel her hug and of course, listen to our laughter together. And now I have some together time to look forward to. No more gloomy day – now all I feel is warm and cozy. 

Day 24 – God’s Promises

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Do you have a favorite promise from God?

Maybe you are like me and have a new favorite every day.

Today, my go-to promise is:

“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.” Deut 31:6

Tomorrow I may grab onto:

“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5

I could go on and on…

God promises to keep us secure and safe (Job 11:18) with unfailing love (Psalm 52:8). He promises to protect us (Psalm 12:7) and provide for us (Psalm 65:9)…and not just food and water.

God tells us not to worry because He provides everything we need.
If the flowers in the field are small_purple_flowersclothed in beauty, how much more He will do for us, His children. God says we only need to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) God also provides us a way out of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) and strength when we are weak (1 Peter 4:11).

However, we can believe all of this because of Jesus. According to 2 Corinthians 1:20, “…no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.”

Because God sent Jesus as the Promised Messiah, we can believe every single one of His promises.

Jesus is our refuge in times of trouble…God will pour His Spirit upon our children…The Lord will fight for you and save you from your enemies…God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.

Help – I can’t stop. There are soooo many!

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5

“ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Take a moment and find a promise from God to hang onto for whatever you are going through today.

He will not fail you – He promised!

Day 16 – Killing with Kindness

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It random-act-of-kindnesswas a saying my mom used to tell me when I complained in junior high about people being mean to me. Looking back, I cannot remember anyone’s actual actions or words toward me that I would consider mean…but I certainly do remember my mom’s advice, “Just be nice to them, Kris. Kill them with kindness.”

Most of the time, I think I’m a kind person, but I also realize that plenty of times I’ve chosen what felt good to me over what may have been kindness extended toward someone else. The times I could have allowed someone in front of me at the WalMart check out lane, held a door open during a walk instead of hurrying on myself, or getting Don a cup of coffee while I was up getting my own…I could go on. So could you.

Today I’m grateful for kindness. I’m also grateful for the POWER of kindness, because I believe if we, all of us, make the intentional choice to be kind to others, we’ll help inch our society in the opposite direction of where it is currently heading.

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

Here’s my intentional kindness action plan for this week:

Day 1 – Baby steps: smile at everyone I meet, even if they are grouchy or frowning. This includes while I’m driving (my biggest challenge) and when I answer the phone. I don’t know about you, but I can tell when the person on the other end of the phone says “hello” with a smile. I’m weird that way.

Day 2 – Everything from Day 1 PLUS…within the course of the day, choosing kindness in the little things. This could include holding doors, making coffee, running errands, doing a favor, extending grace, being generous, laughing at dumb jokes.

Day 3 – Day 1 + Day 2 + taking note of my body language and tone of voice so I exude kindness with more than just words. Walking the walk, not just talking the talk, as they say.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud.” 1 Corinthians 13:4

Day 4 – Everything from the past three days PLUS adding in kindness to those who don’t like me.

NOOOO!

This one is the hardest, of course. Who likes doing nice things, being nice, showing kindness to people who do not deserve it? Not me.

But…

That’s what God has asked us to do…and in fact, it is what He did (and keeps doing) for us. We don’t deserve God’s love…we never deserved Jesus’ sacrifice for us, but He did it anyway. Because He loves us more than we can imagine. And if we really want to show the world a better way…the BEST way…we must demonstrate God’s love through our actions. Kill them with kindness.

“Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.” Romans 12:20-21 (The Message)

I once heard a message from a guest speaker about kindness. A person sitting near to me scoffed about it afterwards – “What a stupid topic for a sermon!” I guess they thought it wasn’t spiritual enough. But in actuality, showing kindness is one of the most spiritual disciplines you can aspire to reach. By showing kindness, you are showing an unbelieving world the unconditional love of our Father God. We are proving His love for them, and using us as instruments of that love. What is more spiritual than being a tool in the hands of the Master?

“We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,[a] and by our sincere love.” 2 Corinthians 6:6

Day 12 – From the Mouths of Donkeys

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Do you have a favorite Bible lesson? Maybe it was something you learned as a child. The stories of David and Goliath, or Jesus walking on the water or feeding the 5000 illustrate some great Bible truths about God’s power on the earth.

Possibly, as an adult, you gravitate more toward the deeper spiritual lessons on forgiveness or faith or grace or trust.  You know there are endless lessons we can or have learned through the years.

I’m not sure I have a favorite or even if I have one I’m more grateful for than another. Mostly it depends on what I’m going through at the moment. However today, I had to pick out a Bible lesson for my blogging calendar and my morning Bible reading in Numbers 22 highlighted an exceptional lesson…the story of Balaam and his very wise donkey. I’m not going to tell you the whole story so read Numbers chapters 22 and 23 to get the complete picture.

Balaam was an interesting guy. He wasn’t a follower of the One True God, yet he spoke to God and God spoke to him. Balaam practiced divination during the time when the children of Israel were wandering around the desert. He was more concerned with lining his own pockets then with doing the right thing. When Balak, the king of Moab, needed someone to curse the Israelites, he was confident Balaam was the man for the job. Funny thing was, Balaam would not curse the children of Israel because God instructed him not to. However, he still kept Balak on the hook for his divination fee.

While Balaam was riding his donkey to see the king, the Angel of the Lord stood in the road ahead of him. Balaam couldn’t see the angel with his sword drawn, but Balaam’s donkey could, and it turned off the road into a field to get away. Of course, the animal got a beating from his master as a result. This happens two more times until finally, the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth.

Donkey“What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Now, I don’t know about you, but hearing an audible voice from my donkey would be disconcerting, however, Balaam doesn’t seem bothered at all. He proceeds to have a conversation with his donkey, in the middle of the road, until the Lord opens Balaam’s eyes and he sees the Angel. Finally, Balaam gets it and he prostrates himself before the Lord.

God informs Balaam that He used the donkey to stop Balaam from taking a reckless path against the children of Israel. If the donkey had not turned away each time, God would have killed Balaam (but spared the animal). I think that probably got Balaam’s attention. I’d like to think I wouldn’t have let it get that far – I hope the talking donkey would have made me pay more attention.

I distinctly remember the first time I read this story. I was a pastor’s wife before I ever heard about the donkey who talked. I guess I’d never made it through Numbers in my hit-and-miss Bible reading back then. For some reason, I easily trusted all the other stories throughout the Bible. I believed He created the world from nothing, formed Eve from Adam’s rib, destroyed the earth by a flood, parted the Red Sea, turned water to wine, calmed the wind and waves, raised Lazarus from the dead, healed the multitudes of various diseases and cast out demons. No problem with any of those. But a talking donkey? That one seemed to stretch my faith. And I’m not sure why because the first talking animal in the Bible wasn’t Balaam’s donkey – it was Satan as a talking serpent in the Garden of Eden. I never had any problem accepting that story either.

My takeaway from the adventure of Balaam’s talking donkey is simple: If God can use a donkey to see the supernatural and give wisdom to his master, then there is hope for me. If a donkey can be an approved vessel of God, then I hope I would be faithful to His work as well. If I am willing, He will fill my mouth with His words. My purpose in life is to bring glory to God, whether it is by speaking or remaining silent.

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11a

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Day 11 – The Bright Side

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Do you ever catch yourself in a mindless fog, moving through traffic without any idea how you got where you are? Me too. Scared myself.

On the other side, I have also over-thought myself into inaction. I thought about something for so long and hard that I came to no conclusions…only saw the situation from every point of view available…and then did nothing. This is a talent for which I’m very skilled.

I have another talent – looking on the bright side. Occasionally, I will get down (who doesn’t?) but for the most part, I’m the person who sees the glass half full. Or as my science-geek friends would say,  completely full…half with liquid, half with air. This particular talent has served me well most of my life. I enjoy happy feelings. I like being the “up” person until…I’m the only “up” person. Then it feels like work. I feel like I have to pull everyone else up and I forgot my weight-lifting workout.

I realize that my natural tendency to look on the bright side is God-given (and annoying to some). God made me with the desire to encourage and exhort others, to help people see the positive side of a situation, to give others indisputable evidence that in all things God works for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

It’s a trait I am most thankful for…

But…

I can’t do it alone. Will you help me today? Will you give others a boost? Will you encourage someone who’s low and looking lower? Thanks – I appreciate it. I’m glad I’m not in this work alone.

And, by the way, if you’re one of those who have a tendency to see the glass half empty, take this Scripture and post it everywhere you can. Think_About_These_ThingsIt will help. Because God promises that He will never allow His Word to return empty and if you have your mind fixed on things above, and not on the circumstances of life that change, and drift, and sink your soul…you will be lifted up.

I appreciate my positive outlook and general happy perspective but God did not give it to me just for me…

He says, “Kris, go pass it along to others. This world needs to know that I haven’t given up on them. I will never leave them. I will never forsake them. I’ve got this all under control. Be salt and light and watch Me draw people to Myself.”

Cool, huh?

Day 6 – All I’ll Ever Need

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God_provides

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11

I am so grateful for the provision of God. He gives us life, and breath, and hope. He knew us before we were in the wombs of our mothers, and has a plan and purpose for each of us. He provides ways for us to work, talents for us to use, gifts for us to share. He cares about every detail of our lives. God does not live in some far off place, moving the affairs of men as chess pieces…He is a loving heavenly Father who weeps when we mourn, rejoices when we are happy, and gives us so many good gifts. Of course, His greatest gift was sending His only Son Jesus to die in our place, that we would not be punished for our sins, but will instead be welcomed into His Presence once we have accepted that gift, and proclaimed Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

I cannot imagine my life without God’s provision. There are some in this world who deny His existence, and yet they breathe the air He devised, they walk the earth He formed, they exist in the body of man, who He created to walk with Him.

God’s promise to renew my mind gives me access to His deep thoughts. The presence of the Holy Spirit in my life gives me a Comforter, Teacher, Guide and Friend…Someone who will instruct me throughout this turbulent and sometimes, terrifying journey of life. God has given us armor to wage war against the enemy of our souls. He has given us His Word to wield as a living weapon more powerful than any man made missile. He has provided each of us with spiritual gifts to bless and build up the Body of Christ.

I cannot name one provision of God that I am more grateful for than another. I am dependent on Him for everything I am, everything I do, and everywhere I go. I pray He will always provide me with words to encourage and uplift, talents to build up, and strength to finish the race He has set before me. That is my prayer for you as well.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter  1:3

Day 1 – Grateful for Those Unexpected Blessings

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today_grateful

In this first day of intentional gratitude, I want to remind you of those unexpected blessings we all receive…and when I say unexpected, I mean, never-in-your-life-thought-this-circumstance-would-turn-out-to-be-a-blessing blessing. Like being unemployed.

If you know my husband and me at all, you know we recently spent six years with no full time job and very little income. It was tough – for my husband, because, you know, men look at having no job as having no meaning in life. He struggled a bit (I’m kidding, he struggled a lot)…and had quite a few conversations with God about the whole thing. But that’s his story to tell.

It was a tough time for our kids because everything they relied on appeared unstable. They weren’t sure where we would live, how we would live, where they would finish high school, and how we were going to pay the bills. Now that I think about it, those were mostly my worries – I’ve never asked what concerned my kids back then…I should probably do that.

Nevertheless, looking back, that whole six year time period was full of God’s blessings. He provided finances for every single obligation (we paid every bill and always on time). Out of the blue, people would stop by the house to give us money saying, “God told us to give this to you today.” God blessed us with the emotional and spiritual support we needed. I read and studied the Word, and prayed on my long walks, crying and begging God to give us something, something to put our hope on…and He never let us down. Don and I had more and deeper conversations. God gave us supernatural health during a time when we had poor insurance coverage, and then provided a way to get better coverage, for the whole family, right before our son started travelling with his band. I could go on and on with story after story…not the time or place.

We learned a lot about ourselves. We learned about humility, and trust, and faith, and grace. We learned that we don’t know very much, but that God knows the beginning and the end. We learned that some people will stick with you, no matter what, expecting nothing in return. We saw God’s hand at work in our kids as He provided funds for college and travelling, when we had nothing. We cried buckets of tears – in frustration and sorrow, rejoicing and thanksgiving.

Am I glad we were without a job for that long? I’m not sure. It was rough. Our Christmas’ were sparse. We ate at home, took no vacations, purchased no new clothes. We had no church to call our own, but we were privileged to help a couple of congregations transition to new pastors. We learned a great deal about what is really important. Family. Real friends. Health. Our own relationship with Jesus, away from ministry.

 

And most of all, we learned God’s promises are true: He will never leave you or forsake you – even if you don’t have a job, even if you are struggling with poor health, even if you are in a difficult circumstance. He is your Rock and your Redeemer. He will turn your mourning into dancing. Ask Him to show you the unexpected blessing of this tough time and watch Him show up. God will never fail you.

Seven Years Ago

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I love that memories feature on Facebook. If you have a consistent social media presence, you know what I mean. It pops up in your notifications once a day, reminding you of what you posted on that date as far back as you’ve been on Facebook. I enjoy seeing what I’ve written throughout the years. It gives me perspective on what I was going through that day, or the events and activities I was a part of. Yesterday was a significant anniversary in the McGarvey family. It was seven years ago that we made a pretty big announcement.

The next step…

June 22, 2009 at 2:27pm

It’s now official.
What our family has known for certain for the last six months is now public knowledge.
The McGarveys are making a step of faith and joining with God in a new adventure.
God has somewhere else for us to be.
He’s preparing another church, another town, another home for us.
It’s all uncertainty and sadness and apprehension…yet, also excitement and joy and anticipation.
The Lord is for us – we are not afraid.
The Lord is for us – He has somewhere that He’d really like us to minister.
The Lord is for us – His plans are perfect for each of us.
So we wait, and listen, and pray.
We’d love for you to join us on this journey.
Maybe you can’t move with us – but through Facebook and other technology, we can keep you up-to-date on all that’s happening, or not.
We’d love to have you praying with us.
We’d like direction, guidance, wisdom, discernment for our decisions.
But then again, who wouldn’t?
Can’t wait to see what God has in store!

 

Golly! Look at my kids! So young… By the way – I still have that sweater and Don still wears that suit.

Hindsight – we were so excited, so sure we would be moving away, positive it wouldn’t be long before we’d be set up in a new church, confident in God’s provision and timing (but secretly hoping it would be very, very soon). My boys were still in high school so I was filled with mixed emotions. How could I tear them away from their friends or the only church they had ever known? How would David handle his senior year of high school in a different city? What if they hated it? We had many, many more questions than answers. And that turned out to be our new normal.

We started boxing up belongings – to get a head start on what we knew would be happening. We researched open churches across the country. Updated and sent out our resume. Regrettably, I even took Sean out of basketball for a year, because we were confident we would be moving away from Cedar Rapids and headed to our new church. Somewhere. Remember this sentence – God’s ways are not our ways – it’ll save you grief if you just believe it and live it and not argue about it.

We were right. The Lord was (and is) for us. He did have places for us to minister. We worked beside and made friends with wonderful people in many churches and ministries, yet never had a “place” we knew was for us.We learned some hard lessons, cried buckets, saw God’s provision every. single. day. We learned about faith, and trust, and pride. We received answers to prayers for direction, guidance, wisdom and discernment…but never for the one we really wanted. Where do you want us, Lord? Well, not until last August. When God’s sweet Spirit said…here. Here in Troy Mills. Until last summer, when a little church 25 minutes north of Cedar Rapids emailed and asked if “maybe you’d be interested in being our pastor.” For seven years, God was working on the people of that little church and really, really working on us. Preparing us for them, and them for us.

We absolutely love our little church. It is filled with wonderful, generous, kindhearted people who, for some reason, really like us. They work hard to reach out and serve their community. They are our friends and we treasure each and every time we are together. God has been so good to us. And I still have stuff boxed up. God put us exactly where we needed to be. And He’ll do the same for you. But it may not be easy. Actually, it definitely won’t be easy. But it’s worth it. It is so worth it.