What is your choice? (devotion)

This is a post from a youth pastor in Florida who is battling cancer. It was listed on his facebook page Josh's Journey.

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I had a lousy night last night and couldn't get to sleep until after 3am. But here is the good news. I was just talking with someone that also is going through her own battle with cancer. I told her that last night was a bad night for me. I was in pain and unable to even lay down until 3am. So today I am tired, my eyes are dry and I basically just feel bad. But I know that this is just one day and today is going to happen whether I am in a good mood or bad mood about cancer. I can choose to let it get me down and live in the negative or I can choose to be positive and use my situation to minister to someone today. It's my choice.


That is the truth guys. Whatever it is that you are going through you have a choice to be negative or to minister through it. What is your choice going to be today? On Tuesday, I was in a Bible study and we were taking about the book of Acts. I was reminded about when Paul and Silas were arrested for casting an evil spirit from a slave girl. After being severely flogged this is what the Bible says they did:

Acts 16:25

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

They could have been upset and in a bad mood but instead of living in their negativity, they were praising God. Guess what. As a result, people were saved. As a result of their willingness to minister during a tough time, there are people in heaven.

We have a powerful choice to make each day of our lives.

WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?

Perfect Imperfections (devotions)

I sang with the choir at my church for the first time this past Sunday. I know that sounds pretty ordinary, but it was a huge deal for me. Ever since childhood, I’ve been horribly insecure about my voice. However, I love to sing and praise the Lord. It brings me joy and I’ve been told by others that watching me brings them joy also. So I decided to join the choir. I was terrified Sunday morning certain that I would get off key and everyone singing would be furious with me. Of course, the choir sounded great and no one was mad. I had a fabulous time praising God and ministering to the congregation. To think I’d missed out on that blessing for years because I was worried I wasn’t a perfect singer.


I think we believers miss out on opportunities to serve God and others because of our insecurities. We miss out on sharing our faith because we feel we don’t know enough about God. We turn down leading a Bible study because we feel our past sins disqualify us. We avoid comforting the sick because we feel we don’t know what to say.

This is not a modern problem. Moses was afraid of public speaking. “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.’” (Exodus 4:10) Gideon said, “But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” (Judges 6:15) The great apostle Paul said, “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15) Despite their shortcomings, God used all these men in mighty ways—just as he can use you.

My friend Jeanne Karst has a business remaking old furniture. She calls it “Perfect Imperfections.” I think it’s an excellent description of us as believers. We are imperfect people made perfect through Christ. 2 Corinthians says that God’s strength is evident in our weakness. We’re not supposed to be perfect. We’re just supposed to be available and God will do the rest.

Don’t let your insecurities keep you from serving God and ministering to his people. If you do that, you’ll miss out on all the wonderful blessings he has in store for you.

Why do you worship Jesus? (devotion)

Somewhere between three and four Tuesday morning, Bill woke up in pain. In eighteen years of marriage, I’ve never seen him in that kind of agony. It only took about twenty minutes before I said we needed to go to the ER. The fact that he agreed with me made the situation scarier. It normally takes an act of congress to convince my husband to go to the doctor. All the way there, he micromanaged my driving. “Go faster. Pass that car,” he said between moans. He knew relief was at the hospital. And it was. We had to wait through admissions and some tests, but they did come with medication. After about two and a half hours of pain, Bill started to feel relief. It turned out he was passing a kidney stone. They doctor sent us home with prescriptions and advice to drink lots of water.


While we were waiting at the ER, Bill said, “How did people do this hundreds of years ago?” His statement got me thinking. It’s no wonder people crowded around Jesus looking for healing. I hated seeing Bill pace, sit, and pace again unable to find any respite from his pain, but I knew the doctors could fix it. What if there were no doctors and no medicine? I would have been desperate to find a cure for my husband. I would have torn up the roof and lowered him at the feet of Jesus. I wouldn’t have done that because I believed He was the Living God—my Savior. I would have done that because I wanted Him to do something for me.

When Jesus was crucified, only a handful of people were with Him. After He ascended, one hundred and twenty followers waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Where were all the people blessed by Jesus’s miracles? Where were the five thousand He fed? Where were all the people Jesus healed? Once they felt He couldn’t do for them anymore, they went away. Many people have this attitude. They view God as a Daddy Warbucks in the sky, someone who gives them whatever they need. When He fails to do so, they no longer believe.

Even Mary and Martha were guilty of this when Lazarus died. They were angry Jesus had not come and healed their brother. (John 11) These two had been with Him, listened to His teachings, and still didn’t get it. He wanted the people gathered there to believe He was their savior. In verses 25 and 26 he says, “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” Jesus was talking about eternal life and the people were still thinking about what He could do for them on this earth. For example, in verse 37 it states, “But some said, ‘This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?’”

Why do you worship Jesus? As a Christ follower, your belief should be based on recognizing Him as a Holy God, Merciful Savior and not on what He can do for you.

Lessons from Acts: Don't Assume (devotion)

I started out in college as a pre-med major. Somewhere in my sophomore year, it dawned on me I planned on being a stay-at-home mom and that goal didn’t exactly coincide with pre-med. Why spend all that time and money on a career I intended to quit? I prayed about what to major in—speech pathology, science education, drama? I strongly felt the Lord telling me to proceed with science education. I knew it was what He wanted me to do. Imagine my surprise when my first year of teaching was horrible. God had called me to teach. Why was it so bad? I decided the problem was public school and I would be happier in a private Christian school. I wasn’t. Different issues, same misery. I was both relieved and confused when I felt God telling me to quit after two years. I wondered if I misheard in college or if I was mishearing about quitting. I actually heard correctly both times.


In college, I made the same mistakes the apostles made in Acts 1:15-26. Jesus had just ascended. The apostles and other disciples were hanging out waiting on the Holy Spirit. Peter gives a speech stating that they needed to select another apostle to replace Judas. Peter said they needed to choose someone who had been with them from Jesus’ baptism through His ascension. “For one of these must become a witness with us of his {Jesus} resurrection.” (vs 22) They chose two men, Barsabas and Matthias, prayed, and cast lots as to who would be the next apostle.

“24 Then they prayed, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Casting lots was a tradition going far back into the Old Testament. It would be similar to flipping a coin today. According to scripture, God determined the outcome. Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” Based on scriptural evidence, we must conclude that God determined Matthias as apostle. However, Matthias never did anything we know of. He isn’t mentioned again in scripture. The one God intended to replace Judas came later, and he was someone the apostles never would have imagined—Saul.

What happened? God gave them an interim answer, a “this is good enough for now” answer. Why? Because that’s all they would hear. From the beginning, the apostles made assumptions. They set the parameters for the great apostle search. In verses 22 and 23, they state that the new guy should have been with them from the beginning. They didn’t ask God what His guidelines for the next apostle were. Saul, a hardened Pharisee, certainly didn’t enter into their criteria. When they did ask God his opinion, it was limited between two options. They didn’t inquire, “Who is the best man for this job?” Had they asked that question, God might have said, “I’ve got the guy, but it’ll be a while yet. Be patient.” However because they made assumptions and limited the options, the Lord gave them an interim answer instead of the best answer.

The same thing happened with me in college. I made assumptions of career paths based on what credits I had already earned and based on my interests. I also gave God limited options. I ultimately wasn’t satisfied with teaching because it wasn’t God’s lifelong plan for me. Motherhood was God’s best for me. Are you operating on interim answers? Seek God fully, without assumptions, and find out what His best is for you.

Lessons from Acts: Stop Looking at the Sky (devotion)

Several years ago we were part of an amazing homeschool playgroup. We would meet weekly at a local park. While the kids ran around like crazy, the moms had a chance to socialize sharing schooling frustrations, joys, and ideas. We also went on field trips together, attended birthday parties, and enjoyed other learning experiences. It was great because Sam was guaranteed a chance to see friends and play at least once a week. And I was guaranteed the same thing. Our family has moved twice since then and, each time we enter a new community, I’m trying to find another group just like it.


In the beginning of Acts, Jesus has been resurrected and He is giving His followers final instructions. Then He ascends into heaven. He had told them on more than one occasion that He needed to go so that the Holy Spirit could come. He reminds them of this twice before He ascends (Acts 1:5, 8). Yet in verse 10, it says Jesus’ followers were gazing into the sky where he’d gone.

It continues, “…two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!’” My paraphrase goes something like this, “Why are you looking at the sky? Get on with what He told you to do.”

I’d have been right there with them staring at the clouds. If those two white-robed men hadn’t come, how long would those people have stayed in that spot? Would they have built a shire or altar and had followers come from all over to the place from which Jesus ascended? I can imagine them wanting to hold onto Jesus and all He had done, afraid of a life without His physical presence. I think we are all guilty of this—holding onto the past and thus missing the future.

Sometimes we do this out of pain, shame, or guilt. How many times have you missed out on a good relationship because you were burdened with mistrust from a past one? Craig Groeschel talks about this in his book The Christian Atheist. In the chapter When You Believe in God but are Ashamed of Your Past, he says, “Once we accept the unchangeable past, we must embrace that God can change our future.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We can’t be made new if we cling to our old sin and hurt.

Sometimes it isn’t pain or shame that makes us miss out on God’s future, its glory. Like the men of Galilee above, we hold onto the good things in our past. Those men looked into the sky remembering they had walked with Christ, seen miracles. Perhaps they wondered “How could it possibly get any better?” Even though Christ had told them it would be better, they were rooted in the past until those two mysterious men booted them into the future. I think this attitude of operating in past glory is a problem in the church. Congregations are dwindling because they insist on doing things as they always have. Conferences and seminars don’t have the same impact because they’ve been utilizing the same format over and over. To modify Groeschel’s quote, “Once we let go of our glorious pasts, we can embrace God’s future for us.”

Of course, God’s future is going to be different. I still haven’t found a group like my old one. I have to work harder to make sure Sam has time with his friends. However, I have found a homeschool athletic association. My son has trained and competed with homeschoolers from all over our area in cross country and track. He wouldn’t have had that opportunity in our old group. Once I let go of the past, I was able to find a future for my son I hadn’t imagined.

Bird Whisperer (devotion)

My sister is a bird whisperer. She loves and has owned all kinds of animals, but birds hold a special place in her heart. I call her Crazy Bird Lady and joke that she needs to charge admission to her zoo. However, I truly admire the uncanny relationship she has with these creatures. When we were at Silver Springs, a blue hyacinth (a bird with a 60 inch wingspan and a beak that can crack coconuts) allowed her to scratch his neck through the bars of his cage. He then pointed with his claw to a bothersome pinfeather he wanted her to pluck out, and she did it!


Her love of birds has naturally led her to be involved with bird rescue. Here she has seen the negligent side of pet ownership. Birds with deformed claws because their owners never had their nails cut. Others suffer permanent feather loss due to neglect or malnutrition. She’s heard stories of cage bottoms filled with several inches of feces because no one bothered to clean them out. Still more are anti-social and aggressive due to lack of stimulation. Some birds have the same intelligence as a two or three-year-old child. Can you imagine what would happen to a toddler that was kept in a confined space, rarely spoken to, and never given toys? Sadly, stories of neglect and abuse are not limited to avian pets.

In Genesis 1:26, it says God made us to rule over all the animals. When you do further study of the Bible, it is clear that God commands His rulers to take care of those under them. We, humans, are supposed to be taking care of God’s creatures, but we are not.

Matthew 10:29 says, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.” The next verse states that God considers us more important than the sparrow, but I want you to see something else. These verses also show that God is intimately connected with His creation. He is aware of every dog that is left outside on a summer day without water.

How does this relate to us as Christians? Don’t worry I’m not going to get all PETA on you. We do, however, have a duty to respect and take care of God’s creation. I’m not saying for you to spend five thousand dollars you don’t have on cancer treatments for your animal, but you do need to make sure they are housed and fed. Before you buy or adopt a pet, research its special needs. If you want to adopt a greyhound, make sure you have the time to take him somewhere he can run. If you want to buy a gecko, make sure you have the proper heat lamp. If you want an eclectus parrot, make sure you feed her fresh fruits and vegetables every day. If you can’t meet the animal’s needs, don’t buy it. God gave us the special privilege of watching over his creation and we need to take that call more seriously.

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness (devotion)

I share this story with great shame. In fact I’m probably posting it on a Sunday because very few, if any, people will read it. It is not common knowledge that Bill and I were part of a very controlling ministry for many years. Our pastor had a very severe view of raising children, and his views on raising boys were especially harsh.


When Sam was around three or four, I was advised not to coddle him in any way. Sam needed to learn how to be a man. During that time, Sam and I were at some friends', Dennis and Rhonda, house until late at night. Sam had been asleep and I woke him up when it was time to go. Groggy and confused, he walked face first into the van waiting in the driveway. I could hear the smack as he collided with the headlight. He cried out immediately. It was a pain cry, not just a scared cry.

Did I rush to him? No. I made him come to me. Did I hug him and gently tell him everything was going to be okay? No. I told him to stop crying. It was dark outside and I couldn’t properly examine him, so I made him follow me inside my friends’ house. Did I carry him or at least hold his hand? No. I told him to hush the neighbors might hear. He had hit the van so hard his front teeth were slightly loose and the gums were bleeding. Rhonda brought him cold water to rinse out his mouth. I didn’t pat his back or whisper gently that I loved him. Other than the required care, I did nothing for my little boy. In the end, it was Dennis that hugged him.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit wouldn’t allow me to subscribe to this philosophy for long. Regardless of the faulty teaching I was receiving, the Fruit of the Spirit was alive inside. Through Him, gentleness reigned in my mothering. I truly believe that when we are searching for God with a whole heart, His truth will win out. In this case, His fruit of gentleness won out over misguided doctrine.

The fruit of gentleness is a large component of mothering. I understand that it’s needed in all relationships, but that of mother and child is of upmost importance. Regardless of what else you do in your life, being a mother is the greatest blessing God can bestow on you. In Isaiah, God is talking about his relationship with Jerusalem. He says, “I will comfort you there as a child is comforted by his mother.” (66:13) That rocks my world. He is using a mother’s comfort as a description of His own. We model His love with every kiss, hug, and gentle word.

That verse only compounds my grief when I think of that incident with Sam. What picture was I giving him of God? I was showing him that God is harsh and unconcerned with his suffering. Thankfully, I am forgiven for those actions. As mothers, we are going to make mistakes—maybe even huge ones—but we are washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. His victory on the cross negates our actions.

Here’s the mothering good news: Jesus forgives our bad parenting and the Holy Spirit works to make us better parents every day.

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness (Devotion)

It’s 9:00 AM. I’m not dressed; instead I’m still walking around in my pajamas. I haven’t eaten breakfast or made my bed. My current Bible study book lays unopened on the table. I haven’t written a single word. I guess to some this wouldn’t be that bad. Plenty of people don’t get up and moving until 9 or even later. The problem is I’ve been making a concerted to effort to stay up after Garner’s 6:00 AM feeding and do all the things I just listed. I guess I failed at faithfulness today.


Someone who never failed at faithfulness was Daniel. In Dan 6:10 it says, “But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” He was so faithful, it’s mentioned twice in one verse—“as usual” and “as he had always done.” He was so regular with his prayer even Daniel’s enemies knew when and where he would be praying.

Many Christians are faithful in the big things. They never miss church on Sunday. They may faithfully attend mid-week service, and work Vacation Bible School every year. However, we often fail to be faithful in the small things.

Studying faithfully—Acts 2:42 says, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…” Can you honestly say you devote yourself to study? There are times in my life when my study is sporadic at best and then I only do it because I feel guilty.

Praying faithfully—I Thess. 5:17 says, “Never stop praying.” I’m pretty sure some people never start praying. I find it’s easier if I pause what I’m doing and pray the moment something comes to my mind. If someone asks for prayer, I take it to the Lord that instant. Otherwise, I’ll forget to do it. I can’t say I never stop praying, but I do try to keep my mind toward the Lord throughout my day.

Giving faithfully—This one is a tough. Most people don’t want to talk about giving to the church. Others outright complain about what they have to give. “They just want my money,” they say. Truth is we expect weekly preaching; we expect the pastor to be available when we want him; we expect the bathroom to be clean on Sunday morning. We daily benefit from the pastoral staff and even the church building itself, but we want all of that to be free. Pastors require salaries and buildings require upkeep. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to beg your boss for your paycheck? Pastors have to beg from the pulpit for theirs. I Cor. 9:14 says, “In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.” You might be thinking that your little offering may not matter, but remember that God isn’t interested in the amount. He’s interested in the faithful heart.

Daniel was faithful in the little things and his life was blessed because of it. Likewise your spiritual growth is dependant on your faithfulness to the little things. As my pastor points out, you’ll die of malnutrition if you only eat once or twice a week. You’ll be spiritually malnourished if you only study, pray, and give when the mood strikes you. Examine your weekly schedule. Where can you make room to be more like Daniel?

Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness (Devotion)

Recently, Sam was given too much change at a convenience store. He immediately handed back the extra money. He did this without thought because it was the right thing to do. A friend who was there taunted him and told him he was stupid for giving away free cash.


Our society is like Sam’s friend. People are often ridiculed for doing the right thing—for being good. Phrases like “Goody Two Shoes” are thrown out as insults. A rat is regarded as a loathsome filthy creature, and yet society uses that animal to describe a person who does right by reporting crime. Even Christians mock other Christians. “He’s just a radical,” we say and discount whatever he’s doing. Have you ever noticed that we disdainfully use the word “radical” to describe anyone who is more committed in their walk than we are?

Truth is none of us are good. Romans 3:12b says, “No one does good, not a single one.” Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we would not be capable of good. We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it, and we don’t want anyone making us feel bad about it. So when someone’s actions remind us of our sinfulness, we mock, we demean, we do anything to belittle their actions and make ourselves feel better.

Examine yourself. Number one, think about those Christians you make fun of. Are they truly ‘out there’? Or is something about their walk convicting you? Number two, think over you life. Have you offended anyone with your goodness? If not, you’re doing something wrong. As believers, we’re supposed to be living a life that challenges others. Today make it your goal to be called “Goody Two Shoes.”

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” I Pet 2:9

Fruit of The Spirit: Kindness (devotion)

My niece Tiffany’s day was like so many others. She woke up her toddler twins, fed them, and got them ready for speech therapy. Then she got them lunch and put them down for a nap. When they woke up it was time for physical therapy where Seth screamed for the entire hour-long session. Back at home she spent a couple of hours on the phone being transferred from person to person at her insurance company. Carter’s special piece of equipment had been denied because one had already been approved for the family. Apparently, it was too difficult for the insurance company to comprehend she needed two standers because she had two boys. When she finally talked with a reasonably intelligent person, Tiffany was told the paperwork would have to be filed again. Then she got to spend five minutes with her husband, my nephew Randy, before running out the door to her job as a waitress. She spent the evening on her feet, carrying trays and taking orders. At the end of her long, stressful day, a customer looked at her and said, “You’re going to Hell because you have a tattoo.”


Was his goal evangelism? The purpose of evangelism is to spread the gospel of Christ. Some may say Christ acted this way to others, but that’s not the case. The only people to whom Christ was rude were the religious hypocrites. All others He treated with kindness—His followers (Mark 6:30), sinners (John 8:11), the sick (Luke 8:48), foreigners (Matt 8:10), and many, many more. This customer was not demonstrating the kindness that marked Jesus’s ministry.

Was his goal to turn Tiffany from her sin? I want to be clear here that I don’t agree that tattoos are a sin. This man, however, believed it enough to publicly rebuke a stranger. He didn’t know Tiffany, didn’t know anything about her, yet he felt perfectly justified speaking those unkind words because she was a sinner in his eyes. However when Paul writes about correcting a brother, he says it should be done “gently and humbly.” (Gal 6:1)

Whatever this guy's goal, all he achieved was making an amazing mother, who sacrifices for her family, feel terrible. What a difference a little kindness would have made in her difficult day. Even if her life was great—filled with rainbows and butterflies—a simple “Thanks. Dinner was great,” and a nice tip would have been a blessing. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” We Christians should be giving out honey, not vinegar.

Whether we are witnessing, correcting, or simply going about our day, our actions and words should be clothed in kindness. In this way, we are truly ambassadors for Christ.

Fruit of the Spirit: Patience (devotion)

You want to hear a group of Christians groan? Mention patience. It’s the one fruit that everyone needs, but no one actually wants. It’s even a joke. “Don’t ask God for patience because He’ll make you miserable.”

Why is this fruit such a burden? Why is this one an ongoing struggle for most people? I’ve been praying about it, and I think it’s because patience is the one fruit that requires the most sacrifice. Patience is all about the other person.

More than any other fruit, patience demands that we set aside our time, plans, and wants for the benefit of someone else. When you lose your patience and snap at the slow clerk in the grocery line, it’s because she’s wasting your time. When your kindergartener is telling you a story, you get impatient because you’re trying to read the paper. You want the doctor to answer all your questions and give you a quality assessment, but not anyone else because that might eat into your appointment. So you fume in the waiting room and give the receptionist a hard time if it’s taking too long.

Think about the last time you really lost your patience. Examine your motives in that incident. What were you unwilling to sacrifice? Was it your time? Your attention? Your favorite television show? When you feel yourself losing it, try to remember that God wants us to love others more than ourselves and deny your wants for the good of another.

“…Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Phil 2:3,4)

Fruit of the Spirit:Peace (devotion)

In college, a lab tech accused me of being a vampire. I have terrible veins. It’s tough to find one for a blood draw. When a tech does locate a vein it usually stops bleeding on them. I once had a nurse who had tried both arms when administering an IV look at me with embarrassment and say, “I’ve been nursing for twenty-five years and I’ve never had this happen.” She ended up getting the anesthesiologist to do it. I only have one vein that works at all. With my kidney issues, it gets hit a lot.

Needless to say, getting blood work stresses me out. At least, it used to stress me out. Part of the reason is I’ve learned to say, “This vein please, and use a butterfly needle.” The other part, the main part, is that I’ve prayed about it for years. Whenever I walk into a lab, I’m praying for things to go smoothly. Thankfully, God has answered and I’ve had much better experiences than I did when I was younger. I don’t fear the lab anymore.

When I was pregnant, they needed to do regular pregnancy blood work and some kidney blood work. The tech was amazed at how much blood he needed to draw. “They’re not leaving you much, are they?” he asked.

I smiled and told him it was no big deal; I was used to it. When he was finished, he asked if I was lightheaded and wanted me to be careful when I stood up. I assured him I was fine.
Unfortunately, I failed my one-hour blood glucose test and had to go back for the three hour. For those of you that don’t know, that test requires four blood draws over the course of the test. It was a couple of days later, but the tech remembered me.

Once again, he was concerned about my comfort and health. Once again, I assured him I was fine. And I was fine. I wasn’t putting up a front; I was truly at peace. I read my magazines and chatted with him while he stuck my arm. It was clear to me that people weren’t usually this laid back for him. At one point during the test he said, “Nothing gets to you.”

I was in the middle of reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I knew the source of my peace—the Holy Spirit. I wasn’t about to take credit for something He was doing. So I built up my courage and said, “That wouldn’t be me. That would be the Holy Spirit.”

I don’t know what I expected. I don’t remember his exact words, but he chuckled and gave full agreement. It turned out he was a Christian as well. He had twin girls and joked about how he couldn’t handle all that chaos without the peace the Holy Spirit provides. We talked quite a bit about general things. Finally, he shared with me that he was thinking about switching companies. He felt the environment at his current job was affecting his spiritual walk. I told him I would pray for him, and I did.

Once again, the fruit of the Spirit functioned for ministry. In my last blog on “Joy,” it facilitated salvation for the jail keeper and his family. Here the fruit lead to ministry for a fellow believer. When I used to pray to increase in the various fruits, I was thinking about how that would impact my life. The more I delve into these verses and meditate on them, I realize that I should be praying because of the impact it will have on others.

Ask yourself this today: why do I pray for patience? for kindness? for joy? Do I seek the benefits of the Spirit for myself or for others? If you answered ‘for yourself,’ pray for God to change your mind frame and pursue ministry.

Naptime (devotion)

Garner needed a nap. Tiredness was making him distraught. I’d tried all the usual stuff—singing, rocking, walking around, gas medicine—and nothing was working. I knew the best thing was to put him to bed and let him cry until he fell asleep. I laid him down and sat in the chair nearby. I watched to make sure he was okay and listened in case his crying escalated. In three or four minutes, he was out. I stayed a little longer watching and listening as he took the slow, even breaths of sleep. He didn’t know I was there. As far as he knew, he was alone.

It wasn’t a far leap for me to think of our Father in heaven. When we go through trials, we often feel like we’re alone. We wonder why this (insert crisis here) is happening to us. God, it seems, is nowhere to be found. But like in the situation with my baby, God knows what is best for us. He knows what we need even if it seems painful, and he is always watching and listening—standing by our side to make sure we are okay.

“Though they {the Godly}stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Ps 37:24

Fruit of the Spirit-- Joy (devotion)

Joy is mentioned all through the Bible. We are told to sing with joy, shout with joy, to be joyful. When we’re saved, we’re given the impression that all our problems will be solved. Psalm 30 is often quoted, “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.”

Well, I’ll tell you, there are plenty of times I don’t feel like dancing. There are plenty of times that I’m still mourning. I look at all the suffering in the world, among my friends, in my own family, and wonder, “How am I supposed to have joy right now?”

When I examine the scriptures about joy I find a common thread—the Lord. Whether they are referring to Him, His Word, or His acts, joy is linked to God over and over again. Here are a few verses:

“I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!” Is 61:10.

“When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.” Jer 15:16

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” Phil 4:4

“Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Rom 4:8

The secret of having joy is to keep our eyes heavenward. When we look around at our circumstances, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and depressed. However, we need to remember that our current situation is temporary. We have a greater promise and hope in the future through Jesus Christ.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Rom 5:3-5

How do we keep our eyes heavenward? We do that through prayer, studying the Word, singing praise/worship songs, and fellowshipping with other believers. The best example of this is highlighted in Acts chapter 16.

“A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.” Acts 16:22-24

Those are some pretty overwhelming circumstances. Paul and Silas are in pain, in prison, and locked in stocks. If anyone had the right to be depressed, it was the two of them. But what does the very next verse say they were doing? Complaining, crying, licking their wounds? No. Their eyes were heavenward.

“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God….” (v 25)

Everyone knows what happened next. An earthquake came. The doors of the prison opened and all the prisoners’ chains fell off. (v 26) The earth literally moved because of their joy. God can do the same for you when you keep your eyes heavenward. There might not be earthquakes, but there could be a resolution to your problems, or the peace that helps you navigate them.

I’ve said before that the Fruit of the Spirit is for reproduction. The Holy Spirit uses our joy regardless of circumstances to reach others. Notice in the story all the doors opened and all the chains fell off—not just Paul’s and Silas’s. The other prisoners were blessed as well. It didn’t stop there. The jailer and his family were saved.

“And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.” (v 32-34)

It’s easy to let our circumstances rob us of our joy. I encourage you to remember that joy is not in the things of this world, but in the hope of our salvation and our relationship with the living God. “I say it again—rejoice!” Phil 4:4

Fruit of the Spirit--Love (devotion)

When I originally looked at the list of the Fruit of the Spirit, I assumed it was random. I assumed there was no particular significance to the order of the attributes listed in in Galatians 6. However, as I've been seeking and praying, I don't think that's the case for the first one. I don't believe it is an accident that "love" is listed at the beginning.

I Cor 13:2 (NIV) says, "...but do not have love, I am nothing." In this section Paul is declaring that he can have the greatest gifts, but without love they are useless. This is certainly true for the Fruit of the Spirit. Without love, how is it possible to have any positive characteristics?

When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, "Love God and love your neighbor." That's my paraphrase anyway. Apply that to the Fruit of the Spirit. If you don't love God, how can you have joy? I Pet 1:8 (NIV) states, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy..." If you did not love God and desire to please him, how could you have self-control. If you did not love your neighbor, how could you have patience? tenderness? goodness?

Examine your heart. Is love there? If not, there is only one place to find it. The rest of Galatians 5 mentions being led by the spirit, walking by the Spirit, living by the Spirit, and keeping in step with the Spirit. It's pretty clear that we need the Spirit! How do you "walk with the Spirit?" When our minds are on the Lord, we are walking with the Spirit. Whether it's prayer, meditating on the Word, talking to a Christian friend, or listening to a good song, find a way to walk with the Spirit and you will find yourself overflowing with love.

Fruit of the Spirit (devotion)

When Sam was little, I would run a kids praise CD while he played in his room. The songs were scriptures set to music, and sung by children. One of my personal favorites was, "Without complaining, without arguing, do, do, everything." I worked that one to my benefit whenever it was time to clean up.

There was one song, however, that drilled its way into my head and never left. So much so that even now, almost a decade later, its dulcet tones will wind up in my mind and play in a seemingly endless loop. The scripture featured in that song is Gal 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit. As it pranced through my head once again the other day, I spent some time really thinking about each fruit as opposed to just letting the song roll as background music in my brain. As a result, I felt led to spend some time on that scripture in my blog. I'm not sure how long the series will take, but that's what I'm concentrating on now.

I'm sure we're all familiar with the passage, but I'll reiterate it here. (Imagine upbeat music and children's voices raised in song) The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I’ll start at the beginning. What do I know about fruit?

1) Fruit production takes time. I was a biology major and I can assure you that apples don't suddenly appear on the tree. There's a whole process that includes cool words like pollination and megaspore. Physical fruit has to grow and mature. So does spiritual fruit. You don't wake up one day as the most patient person on the planet. The fruit grows as you mature, and its growth continues over your entire spiritual life. So if you fail in one of those areas listed in Galatians, give yourself a break. You've embarked on a process that takes time, but will produce change in your life.

2) Fruit is seasonal. It grows during certain times of the year and not at others. While there is always a measure of each fruit in our lives, there are periods when we are afforded a greater quantity. How many times have you watched someone in the middle of tragedy exude peace and said, "I could never handle (insert crisis here) like they are." The reason for their seemingly unnatural response to trauma is that they've received seasonal fruit. They have what they need, when they need it. Don't worry about what ifs because when the time is right, you'll have the resources you require.

3) Fruit is for reproduction. It is a distribution vehicle created for the purpose of spreading seed. Likewise, the fruit of the Spirit manifested in our lives acts a witness to the lost, and edifies our sisters and brothers in Christ. Ask yourself, who does patience really help--me or the person to whom I'm extending it? Who is gentleness helping--me or someone else? While it may make our lives easier, the function of the fruit of the Spirit is ministry. If it's presence in your life doesn't affect others, there is a problem. Jesus said the entire law could be boiled down two things: loving God and loving our neighbors. Every tool in our walk needs to point to one or the other; the fruit of the Spirit is no different.

Take some time today to read Galatians 5:22-23. Try to look at it through fresh eyes, not just as a scripture you were taught in kindergarten. Think about what each word means as you do so. Sing it with me now! The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness. The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Joy in Adversity (Psalm 16 Devotion)

I've been having a little trouble with my pregnancy. I've been to labor and delivery twice to regulate my blood pressure, and I've been going to the doctor weekly for over a month now. There they monitor not only me, but also Garner. The last three appointments, he's failed the initial non-stress test necessitating a special ultrasound called a biophysical profile (BPP). Thankfully, he's passed the BPP each time. At the moment all is well with both of us, but I'm worrying. When I check my blood pressure, I worry, "Is this the time it skyrockets and won't come down?" When I go in for appointments, I worry that this is the time Garner won't pass the BPP. For the last few days, I've been stressed, waiting for the other shoe to drop. As I was praying in the car this morning, God reminded me that peace is found in His word. It's a shame He had to remind me of that! I didn't go to any special scripture. I just picked up where I'd been reading. It happened to be Psalm 16.

In verse 9, David says "No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts His praises!" David was a man overcome with all kinds of troubles. Before he took the throne, he was hunted and forced into hiding. After becoming king, he dealt with wars, and a myriad of family issues among other things. So I pondered how he could be filled with joy and shout praises. Verse 9 begins with two important words, "No wonder." These words imply that something in the passage prior to verse 9 explains David's state of being.

I'm type A, and I love it when things are clearly defined. Psalm 16 could be an instruction manual for having joy and peace in adversity.

Step 1: Know the Lord. "I said to the Lord, 'You are my Master!'" (verse 2) You can't have true peace until you are submitted to the One who brings it.

Step 2: Hang out with the right people. "The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!" (verse 3) It's no secret that the company you keep affects your mood and behavior. Your momma taught you that when you were young! Seek out fellow believers for fellowship.

Step 3: Stop doing bad things. "I will not take part in their sacrifices or even speak the names of their gods." (verse 4) What activites fill the majority of your time? Do they turn your mind to godly thoughts or away?

Step 4: Be thankful. "The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!" (verse 6) Thank the Lord for all you have before asking for all the stuff you think you need.

Step 5: Spend time in prayer and in the Word. "I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me." (verse 7) This is the one that slammed me. Between the holidays and stressing out, I hadn't been in the Word, and most of my prayers had been about my problems. David says, "even at night." He wasn't saying, "I put in my fifteen minutes this morning, I'm good." Meditating on God's scripture was an all day event for him.

After all these things, he concludes in verse 9, "NO WONDER my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts His praises." I'm not surprised David was shouting either. Hopefully, I will doing the same thing over the next month while I wait for Garner to arrive.

Text is from New Living Translation.

Out of the Box (Christmas Short Story)

Derek sat as still as he could, which wasn’t very. His foot wiggled, his leg swayed, and his fingers drummed a rather rockin’ beat on the table. This didn’t mean he wasn’t paying attention as his fourth-grade Sunday school teacher assumed. He heard everything she was saying.

It was military mailing time. Their Sunday school class helped pack candies and other treats into boxes, sealed them with tape, and labeled them for shipping to soldiers overseas. “For this term’s mailing, I want you all to make a Christmas card for your soldier. Then we’ll put them in the boxes with the other things.”

Derek knew exactly what he would send. He jumped up and ran to gather his supplies: multiple colors of construction paper, glitter-glue, scissors, and stickers. One look at the size of the construction paper and he knew he had a problem. “Is there any bigger paper?” he asked his teacher.

“Bigger paper? We’re just making cards, Derek. You don’t need bigger paper.”

“But it’s not big enough for what I’m making.”

She smiled in that irritating way that all teachers did when he talked to them and said, “I’m sure that what you’re making is great, but today we’re only making cards. Please try to keep your mind on your soldier and making a nice card for him.”

“She’s a girl.”

“Well, making a nice card for her then.”

Derek slumped into his chair. He was thinking of her. He looked at the paper again. Tape, that’ll solve my problem, he thought. He got his tape and went back to work. He didn’t have enough green, but figured that adding red would still be okay because it was also a Christmas color.

His mind so focused on his project that he didn’t realize Tom was talking to him. “I said, what’s taking you so long Derek. I’ve been done forever.”

Derek didn’t even look up. “I’m almost done now.”

“That’s what you’re making! Why do you always have to be so weird Derek? Besides it doesn’t even look like one.”

Derek looked at his creation. It is stupid, he thought. Why did I do this? He grabbed another sheet of paper and started to draw. He’d barely added a crayon line when the teacher announced that it was time to put the boxes together.

“Can I have a little more time? I’m not done.”

“No, I’m sorry; I gave y’all extra time already. Just sign what you’ve got and come on.”Derek sighed, scrawled his name and a quick note across the bottom of his original work, and stuffed it into the box.

***

“I don’t know, Ann. I just can’t get into Christmas. I know that it’s all about Jesus and I’m certainly glad about that, but,” Donna paused, fumbling for the words, “you know, it’s supposed to be snowing. And my family has a big party to decorate the tree each year. Cookies, hot chocolate, everyone has their special ornaments that they hang. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without a tree,” she lamented to her friend on the way to mail call.

She walked back to her tent with a white box under her arm. This was her third one this year and she always enjoyed getting them. Her cousin submitted Donna’s address to her church so Donna could receive care packages. She appreciated the gesture. The box reminded her that people at home did care. There were candies and sometimes homemade cookies. They even sent lotions and razors, priceless commodities out here.

She settled onto her bunk and put the box in her lap. She waited a bit, relishing the moment, then cut the packing tape. On top was a haphazardly folded stack of paper. She pulled it out, unfolded it.

In her hands, she held a cut-out construction paper Christmas tree. It hung like a cock-eyed accordion due to the folding. From star point to base, it was maybe three feet long. The tree part was an alternating green and red. Balls of various colors, cut out raggedly, and stickers of cartoon characters and animals simulated ornaments. Lines of glitter crisscrossed the tree like garland. “It’s kind of a Charlie Brown tree.” she muttered, “Beautiful.”

She noticed a note in childish writing at the bottom: “I bet you don’t have a tree out there, so I made you one. Derek.”

“Your heavenly father already knows all your needs,” she quoted softly, and cried as she hung it beside her bunk.

Scripture is Matthew 6:32 NLT

Maddie Makes Cards (Christmas short story)

Maddie was ready. Before her on the table lay everything she needed to make the best Christmas cards ever. She would craft them, fill them with clever hand written messages, address them and actually mail them. This year she would not feel guilt as she received those cute cards with everyone’s family picture on the front. This year she would meet her friends, family, and, most importantly, her husband’s congregants with her head held high because she had fulfilled her Christmas obligations.

She’d started in October by confirming that all the addresses in her book were current. Good thing, too, Aunt Holly moved to Pittsburg three years ago and Maddie still had her listed in Orange Park. She’d congratulated herself on catching a possible faux pas that could have derailed her plans.

In November, she’d gone to an intensive weekend seminar on embossing and card making. Gary, her husband, was not overly thrilled with paying for a hotel so that Maddie could learn to make something they could buy at Wal-Mart for less than five bucks. He didn’t understand. A pastor’s wife had to meet certain expectations. This year everything would be perfect, to make up for all the years she had failed. When she returned home with six prototypes, he merely raised an eyebrow and said with his usual dry wit, “At that price, they should be edged in gold.”

It was December now, and she’d cleared her calendar for the entire day. She had eight hours to do nothing, but cut, glue, and write. She set the mood by lighting a cinnamon candle and putting some Christmas music in the CD player. After cranking up the tunes, she started to crop.

She proceeded with extreme care, making sure that everything was flawless. Ribbons were expertly tied and glued in place. After a couple hours her back was aching, but her stack was growing. There were cards of green, red, and blue adorned with trees, angels, and starbursts. She imagined people’s expressions as they opened these gems. She could hear them saying, “Wow, I had no idea Maddie was this talented. We should ask her send out the invitations for the annual bake sale.”

When she broke for lunch, she counted her cards and compared them against her list. She was horrified to find that although the day was half gone, she’d barely completed a quarter of the necessary work. “How can that be?” she moaned.

She immediately set back to work, ignoring her rumbling stomach. She also abandoned her notion of cleaning up as she went. Soon the table was littered with bits of paper, ribbon, and glitter. When the mess got in her way, she simply raked it off onto the floor. Her care in setting the embossing powder slipped, and she smudged more than one card. She grunted in frustration as she made replacements, resenting the wasted minutes.

She was deep in concentration when Brandi, her cat, wandered into the room. A dangling ribbon tempted the feline, and she perched on her haunches batting at the silver material. Maddie, horrified, yelled and swatted at the cat. As she did, Maddie hit the open vials of embossing powder with her arm and sent them flying. The black, gold, and silver dust covered the table, the floor, Maddie, and Brandi. Brandi, startled by the ruckus, ran away. Multi-colored paw prints snaked down the hallway.

Gary came home to find his dining room a Technicolor nightmare and his bride hysterical. “It’s all ruined,” she moaned.

He reached for a card and gently shook off the powder. “See, easily fixed.”

“They’re supposed to be perfect.”

“Historically speaking, Jesus is the only one who's managed to be perfect. 'It's the thought that counts,' is cliche for a reason. People will be blessed because you thought of them, not because your card looks perfect. Here, let’s see what we can salvage.”

They saved more than Maddie thought possible. With Gary’s help, she was able to get all the cards in the mail the next day. Despite all he said, she felt better knowing she had done it right this year.

When Christmas cards from their friends and congregants started arriving, she opened each with joy, unburdened from the guilt she’d known in seasons past. One afternoon, her mailbox was stuffed with cards. She pulled them out eagerly, only to recognize her own handwriting. Each one was stamped, “Return to sender. Insufficient Postage.”

They Don't Know My Name (devotion)

My oldest nephew was over at my parent's house the other night carrying the tree into the living room and getting boxes of decorations out of the attic. Thinking of what a model grandson he was being, made me think of what he was like as a little boy- A Handful!

Once, when he was young, he was out with my mom being a total pistol. She had already exhausted her usual arsenal, and resorted to shame. "Aren't you embarrassed to be acting this way in front of all these people?" she asked.

"Grandma,” he replied, “they don't know my name." Summing up his attitude in life, no one knows me; I can act however I want.

We Christians think the same way sometimes. “I can snap at the cashier, no one knows my name. I’ll cut that car off in traffic, no one knows my name.” The problem is that while no one may know your name, they often know that you are a Christian. Your cross earrings or necklace, your God's Gym T-shirt, or bumper sticker tells them.

2 Cor 5:20 says that we are Christ's ambassadors. Our behavior affects His good name. While everyone around you this Christmas is arguing over parking spaces and the last Elmo doll, please remember your actions either bring Him glory or bring Him shame. Be a worthy ambassador and lift up the name of Jesus in all you do this holiday season.