She is Clothed With Strength and Dignity

Lessons From the Moms in My Life

“Sing louder,” Grandma Bonebright directed as she gently pushed my sister and me closer to the bedside of Granny Thompson. She wanted to ensure this dear 101 year old saint could be blessed by the sweet melody of “Jesus Loves Me.”

We sang all of the sweet Jesus songs we could think of, always being encouraged to sing louder and get closer. I still remember the soft- hands of Granny Thompson reaching out to hold my hand.

Even though her eyes were not seeing her physical surroundings, they were still the window to her soul. The joy of the Lord beamed from the inside out as the light of the world shined through her.  

My grandmother did not make a big deal about it. She did not preach to me about why I needed to serve. She gently and quietly just set an example of godly living and self-sacrifice.

I have been so blessed to have a heritage of Christian women in my life. As early as I can remember, my Grandma Bonebright involved me in and set an example of Christian acts of service. Whether it was taking a meal to a sick person, doing somebody’s laundry, or singing to Granny Thompson or other “shut-ins”, Gram planned her life around meeting the needs of others as her service to Christ. 

As the MS set in, my Grandma Bonebright was afraid to go out in public for fear of falling or causing an accident. The last time I remember her driving was when I was in Jr High. She picked me up from school and headed out onto the freeway. We topped speeds of 20 miles an hour, and that was with me sliding over and putting my foot on the gas! 

Dear Grandma was transitioning from the servant to the one being served and needing care. A few of her friends were not too shy to come around. But most of the women she had served along-side of were absent in her time of time of need. They were afraid of hurting her or embarrassed at her inability to take care of herself as she once had. Sometimes she could not make it to the bathroom in time, and so, sometimes her house smelled a little funny… For those who could not get over their own uneasiness with Gram’s condition, they missed knowing one of the most wonderful ladies with a most godly, gentle, and quiet spirit. 

She taught me, from her recliner and wheelchair, how to cook, how to serve, how to love my neighbor as myself. I learned compassion, patience, and true joy of serving through practical experiences of lifting, transferring, schlepping wheelchairs, bathing and grooming, cleaning her house, shopping for my grandparent’s groceries and cooking them their favorite foods until they no longer needed the foods and trappings of this earthly life.  

One of the greatest blessings of building this kind of a relationship with my grandmother is that she knew me well. She knew my weaknesses, my strengths, my likes and dislikes, but more than any of that, she knew how to pray for me. I am confident that I was one of the main beneficiaries of her prayers. She did not always know what my every need was, but she daily placed me and my needs at the throne of our Savior. 

She is clothed with strength and dignity, 
and she laughs without fear of the future. 
Proverbs 31:25

In several scriptures referring to older believers or wise women we see the word dignity. One of my greatest challenges is protecting the dignity of the grandmas. There is nothing dignifying about having someone else have to take care of your personal needs, dress you, bathe you, feed you, and tell you what to do. As I meditated on these scriptures and what I would be sharing, I thought about what dignity must really mean. 

  1. a formal, stately, or grave bearing: he entered with dignity
  2. the state or quality of being worthy of honor: the dignity of manual labor
  3. relative importance; rank: he is next in dignity to the mayor 
  4. high rank, especially in government or the church
  5. a person of high rank or such persons collectively

I like the second definition and the description of the word origin. It implies that dignity does not come from being “haughty” or even “private” but in being worthy of honor and accepting of one’s role in life, like Paul being content in whatever state. I will probably continue to try to protect our grandmas’ dignity, because I think that is honoring to them and to God, but also because we live in a sinful world that despises being inconvenienced or uncomfortable. 

When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

One time I heard Grandma Willis (my mother-in-law) “teaching” in her sleep. What an amazing and encouraging teacher she must have been. In her dream, as each of her students brought her their work, she told them how hard they had worked and how beautiful this or that was. She also guided them gently and lovingly in correcting their behaviors or schoolwork. God can use even these moments to teach us, moments that we might, as humans, lead us to worry about one’s mental or emotional state. 

So many times, we might wonder why God allows a saint like Grandma Bonebright or Grandma Willis journey for so long on this earth. But when these little lessons are brought to light, we can rest assured that God knows what He is doing.

My daughter once called me from Virginia her first year in college. She was getting really educated! I was excited to hear what she was learning. However what she told me was not about her scientific studies or nursing practice. She exclaimed, with great enthusiasm, (paraphrased) “I know what Grandma’s ministry is. Her ministry is to pray for me, and I need that a lot! I am so fortunate to have someone so close to God, be so close to me.” 

Not too much later, we went to visit my mom’s mom in Washington. Before we left, Grandma Sandy, grabbed my daughter’s arm and pulled her close. She said “take a look around this room and know that there is not a day that goes by that you do not have a lot of people praying for you. Sometimes it takes me a while to get to you because my kids and grandkids need A LOT of prayer, but you do get prayed for every day.” Now Grandma Sandy is interceding for us in Heaven alongside Grandma Bonebright and Grandma Willis.

So many times, we are just too busy to even notice when there is a learning opportunity. We often don’t engage our aging fellow believers in conversation for fear of being uncomfortable or weighted down by their burdens, or we may even think that they don’t have anything meaningful to share. 

A while ago, I decided to start making notes on the amazing treasures that Grandma Willis had to share. I would like to share a few of them with you:

One time, when I stopped to see Grandma Willis, I commented that the trees outside her window were beautiful… She replied, “Yes they are, when I see the trees, the remind me of the strength of the Lord.”  She was a tree planted by the river. This experience led me to Psalm 92: 12-15

But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.   For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.  They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”

Another time she told me: “Every day when I wake up, I wonder what the Lord has planned for the day.”Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

On her 90th  birthday she prayed… “Lord help us to do more and better for you each day.”

And later said, “I don’t know why the Lord chooses to keep me here on Earth, but I guess my work is not done.”

I too, have questioned what the Lord has for me to do… On one particular day, He gave me this verse: John 6:29 (NLT) Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” I pray my life reflects what I believe and the One in whom I believe.”

It is so wonderful when our children FINALLY see the lessons we have been trying to teach and live… My daughter called me one day from college. She said, “I understand James 1 so much better because I see you and daddy put it into practice by taking care of Grandma.” Practicing true religion is taking care of widows and orphans in their distress and by keeping oneself from being polluted by the world.

I can never remember a time in my life when I did not have an older believer, often a widow, that I was participating with in ministry. Whether it was my grandparents, neighbor, my mother-in-law, and now my own parents. 

I have seen the impact of their seemingly invisible ministry and, I have to say, it grieves me when we see them as “no longer active” in their walks with the Lord or we dismiss them as old and not” as useful” anymore.  My challenge to you is, if you are not seeing this, if you are not experiencing this, then go looking.  Seek out those who have gray hair, drink in their wisdom.  Go for a walk, take them to coffee or treasure hunting, LISTEN to them.  You would be surprised how much they may be ministered to if only you allow them to minister to you.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I try to take time to step back from the daily chores and reflect on the impact my mother had on me and that I have had on my own daughter. One of my earliest memories is going to church as a family. Learning to love Jesus was at the top of Mom’s priority list for her girls.

Memorizing Scripture was a daily practice.

Cooking… well, she says she just got out of the way when I entered the kitchen, except the time that she had to rescue me from the eggbeaters that had wrapped my waist length hair in them all the way up to my forehead. Arriving to my pleas for help, she just calmy unplugged the offending appliance and unraveled my hair and sent me to the sink to wash out the cake batter.

Respond don’t react were words that she repeated to me often, especially after I became a mother. 

In a college writing class, I was required to write a ‘descriptive’ paper. I didn’t even hesitate. My descriptive paper would be on a virtuous woman. My mother would be my muse. If you read Proverbs 31, and you know Mom, you would agree. There has not a day gone by that she has not worked hard. She has supported her family spiritually, emotionally, and financially. She sewed so well that she even made my dad’s suits.. I drew a picture of what I wanted for a wedding dress, and she made it without hesitation, exactly as I had dreamed. Her children call her blessed. She fears the Lord. She deserves to be honored and praised.

I once had a friend ask me, “What would you say to the person who believes it impossible to be the Provers 31 woman?” I told him that I would agree. We have a far higher standard to live up to. We are to be like Christ.  None of us can, on our own, live up to the standard set in Proverbs 31, but with God’s help, we can be who He created us to be and use the gifts He has given us. 

Take time to read Proverbs 31 for yourself. Who do you picture? Take time to honor that person this week.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31&version=NIV

NEW BOOKS!

Good Morning Friends,

You may have noticed that I have been a little absent here lately. It hasn’t been because I have not been writing though! 

I just got back from an amazing retreat where I had the privilege to speak on the topic of restoration. I loved sharing this message of hope with the ladies in attendance.

I am also so excited to announce that I have completed two projects which are now available on Amazon. 

The first is “Restore Your Soul with Seven Days of Prayer”  which is available as a paperback with journal pages or a Kindle book. This book is a short devotional that provides the reader with solid encouragement in moving from the overwhelm to confidently brining your requests to the throne of God. I guide you through my daily prayer journey and invite you to cultivate your own system for developing a productive prayer life. 

The second project is “A Girl Who Wanted to Be a Princess.”  

A few years ago, I was asked to speak at a women’s retreat on the topic of being a “Daughter of the King.” As I sat down to prepare, I thought about my journey as a believer and the sanctification process the Lord has brought me though, and this story was born. 

From a very young age, I knew that I loved Jesus, but it was my sweet kindergarten Sunday School teacher who told me about giving my heart to Him. While I have never doubted His love for me, I have struggled with pride, with shame and guilt, and with a feeling that I was on my own. 

Fortunately, The Holy Spirit was given to us to be a helper and guide in all things. He has never left me or forsaken me. He has become my King, my Father, and my friend. 

This story is my testimony of God’s grace in my life and the journey I have been on as an adopted daughter of The King, written as a fairytale, but, in reality, is a true narrative. 

With each truth from my life there is an accompanying verse to help further explain and guide discussions with your own children, grandchildren, or students as you read this story to them.

At the end you are encouraged to write your own “Princess Story,” your journey into the Kingdom.

As an added bonus, one of my former fifth grade students, now all grown up, has beautifully illustrated the story with pictures that draw the reader into the heart of the adventure. 

Even though this story is written as a children’s book, it will serve as an encouragement to readers of any age. 

Soon a Companion Coloring Book will be available as well. The Kindle version is also a work in progress. 

I hope both of these books as well as my older devotional, “Teapots and Power Tools,” will be a blessing to you in your walk with our Savior. 

Love and Good Works

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds!”

Thanks to my friend Carrie Arii for this thoughtful Valentine devotional.

Today we will celebrate a holiday that started in the 1400s, and though love was the theme of the day, there are many stories of how it came to be.  

It’s true!  There really was a St Valentine; well actually there were three of them and several theories about who was the one associated with our modern celebration.  The holiday started with giving cards and has grown to flowers, candy, cards and other gifts all to commemorate our love for a special someone!  It has evolved into a holiday which also celebrates friendship. 

Although the giving of gifts is one way to show love, I was reminded that the Bible tells us love is so much more than romantic feelings or familial affection; there is something much deeper.  

This week, I have not been able to get Hebrews 10:24 out of my head!  “Let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds!” (NIV)  

Jesus always showed love. Consider the Woman at the well and how He loved her, no matter her unfortunate circumstance.  He expects no less from us, and He tells us this is how people will know we are His disciples.   By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another! John 13:35 NIV

If I show love, His love shines through everything I do.

Love is not just a good idea or suggestion.  Jesus commands us to love.  This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you! John 15:12 NIV. Just as I have loved you!  How much did he love us?  To the cross…  Wow! Let that sink in a minute!  

Wait, we must love even when others are against me?  Even when they are not like me?   

Yes to those questions and any other excuse not to love.  Jesus commands us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Sometimes it is not easy, but it is always required.

We are told to love fervently and from the heart, from the deepest part of our beings.  Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart I Peter 1:22 NIV.  

The definition of fervently means with great intensity of spirit, passionate!  Whoa!  I am to love my brothers and sister in Christ with great intensity of spirit!  I recently went to a Toby Mac concert. The people in the audience were extremely intense with their expressions of worship; with all of their being!   We need to love others with that intensity! 

I see now, we don’t get a pass for not loving. We can’t say “it’s not my gift.”  Oh, but it is everyone’s gift, and it is required!  We know the basics of love. Now consider HOW to spur one another on to love and good deeds.  

We must first prepare ourselves show love.  We need to be following and communing with the Lord, reading his Word and praying that He will help us show love. We should be so full of Him that his spirit overflows from our hearts into the hearts of others.  We can’t give love if we don’t know love.  Get to know God, because He is love!

How can you encourage someone today?  Do you know someone who  needs a text or a phone call?  Is there some need that you can meet for coffee or a walk? 

We may miss many opportunities to show love when we rationalize a 101 reasons why we can’t do X, Y or Z.  

My husband is a great example of jumping in and doing!  He looks for opportunities to help!  Many times, he has been late getting home because he stopped to help someone in distress on the side of the road!  Frustrating for me at times but I know that it was better for him to follow God’s leading and stop and help.  Responding to those promptings God gives can result in great blessing both for you and the recipient.  

Overscheduling our days or filling them with unnecessary activities can prohibit the blessing of spending time with others to spur one another on to love and good deeds.  Is there someone in the church you would like to get to know more?  Invite them to lunch or have them over to your house. Plan a park date or a walk. 

Is there a young lady that needs guidance?  Or a new believer?  We can invite them in to share our love of crafting or other talents that God has given us. I have a friend that invites a couple of ladies over at a time to make lemon curd. It’s a great time to talk because you have to stir the curd for what seems like forever!  This gives them something to do with their hands while their hearts are being refreshed and knit together. 

You don’t have to plan an eight-course meal to show love and spur one another on to good works.   The point is spending time together and showing love.  

We can offer to help with community and church events, take someone under our wings, and help them learn what is required to make the event happen.   Modeling responsibility to them will hopefully help them to become responsible and more confident in the gifts God has given them… spurring them on to love and good works, help them to find undertakings that will complement those gifts and talents. 

So, what did I learn about how to spur one another on to love and good works this week?  It should flow naturally (or supernaturally I should say) as I spend time in the Word, getting to know God and His unconditional love.  Then I will be an example of love to our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  It’s all about life together!  Doing the things of life with others when God’s love overflows through us!  You really get to know a person by spending time with them.  They need it and so do you!    

I encourage you to ask God to daily guide your schedule and routines and to bring others into your path that you can spur on to love and good works by the way you love them. 

Destination RESToration The Cost and Value of Restoration

This is the final installation of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first nine segments, I encourage you to do so. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God, DR Call the Carpenter. DR Remove, Rinse, & Rest. DR Refine & Replenish, DR Tools for Restored Relationships. DR Restoration for the Weary Soul.

I am a bargain hunter. My husband likes to remind me that it is only a good deal if it is something you need or really want and find it for a great price. But there is something very satisfying about finding an old beat up piece of furniture and recreating it into something beautiful and useful, especially if it ends up being a gift for a special friend.

Isn’t that how God is with us? He finds us all broken down, worn out, sometimes we may even think of ourselves as worthless. And then He makes something beautiful of our lives.

A good restoration show reveals the price of the house or project before restoration. Often, we get to know the origins of the house, when it was built, maybe who lived there before and how much it cost at its original construction. The cost of the restoration is given. The value of the finished project is revealed. Then, with oohs and awes, the finished work is unveiled.

Our Original Purpose and Value

Before our world faced the fall in the Garden of Eden, we were a beautiful and perfect creation. God’s plan for us was for us to reflect His beauty and commune with Him in the Garden and rule over the earth. Had there never been sin, there would not be a need for restoration.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.Genesis 1:26-27 ESV 

The Cost of Our Restoration

Restoration projects almost always cost more than originally projected. I have scars on my knuckles from run away sanders. I have friends who have lost blood from injuries during projects gone wrong. The injuries leave scars and maybe remind us of a lesson. But rarely do they cost the life of the one doing the restoration

Because of sin, we have become worn-out, torn down, and in need of restoration. Our only hope for restoration comes through the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection. He willingly suffered and paid the ultimate price for our complete restoration. All He wants in return is our hearts.

 He was despised and rejected—

A man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
 

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.
    

He was whipped so we could be healed.

Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
 

Unjustly condemned,
He had done no wrong

But he was buried like a criminal;

Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants. Isaiah 53

That is us, we are the descendants, the redeemed and the restored.

Our Restored Value ~ Priceless

When we are an object of God’s restoration, we become His children who stand to inherit the Glory of our Heavenly Father, the Maker and Restorer of the Universe.

Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. Romans 8:15-17 NLT

Our Abba Father, our maker cares so much for us that He even knows how many hairs we have on our head. This statement is made to assure us that God cares about every detail of our lives, because to Him, we are priceless.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.Matthew 10:29-31 ESV

Project Complete

We know that God is always working in our lives and will be until we are with Him in Heaven. But there is a ‘project’ that is completed at the time of salvation. We are complete in Him, but He does not want us to just put the finished product on the shelf and let it collect dust. He wants us to continue to grow and use the gifts He has given to us to help build the Kingdom and restore others.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.  For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:6-10

The Master’s Touch Makes us Priceless

We have a violin that has been in our family for over 100 years. My husband’s mom was the last one who played it, probably more than sixty years ago. It is useless in the shape it is in. But it serves as a reminder of the beautiful, even painful as it was, life that she lived. 

I would like to close this series with a song that tells us of a violin that was thought useless until the Master put His hands on it. The dusty old relic suddenly became a priceless instrument in the hands of the Master Artist. Friends, we might feel like the violin that is battered and scared, but with His touch, our lives become priceless. 

Daniel Collier – Touch of the Master’s Hand

Songwriters: John Kramp

The Touch Of The Master’s Hand lyrics © New Spring Publishing Inc.

Heavenly Father, Help us to be restored in you and recognize the value you see in us, so that we will be effective using the gifts you have given to us to help build Your Kingdom. Amen.

If your life needs restoration, I encourage you to, first reach out to the Master Builder who values your life more than anyone else. Then reach out to a friend who can support you through the restoration process. I am also honored to pray for you.

If you have enjoyed this series, please feel free to share or comment. I would love to hear how God has restored your life.

Destination RESToration Restoration for the Weary Soul

This is part nine of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first eight segments, I encourage you to do so. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God, DR Call the Carpenter. DR Remove, Rinse, & Rest. DR Refine & Replenish, DR Tools for Restored Relationships.

What restores your soul?

Prayer?

Worship?

Fellowship?

Quiet time?

Feet in the sand?

Rest?

A good book?

A hike in the mountains?

Time with friends?

Laughter?

In my quiet time recently, I read this verse, that I have read hundreds of times, but somehow, it jumped off the page at me as something I needed to pay attention to.  

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

I was not necessarily feeling weary at the moment, but it is something I struggle with often. I thought to myself “How, indeed, do people not become weary?” So, I posed the question on social media.

People told me they were praying for me, which I will always receive, but others had a variety of some practical and some spiritual/biblical wisdom. Most of the wisdom could be summed up in a few simple thoughts… Keep your eyes on Jesus, don’t try to do everything (or anything) in your own strength; and be patient in waiting for and seeing the results.

I am a DIY kind of person who is extremely observant of what is going on around me. I see all the squirrels… bunnies, birds, lizards and flowers too. I am a getter done kind of gal. I attack a project like a starving person attacks a long awaited meal. You can see why I would struggle with the previous advice. 

We all get weary. We all take our eyes off  Jesus. Many of us are taking care of loved-ones. Others are in the season of raising small children. Some are doing both. Others are faced with uncertain finances or job situations. Many have challenging relationships within and outside of their families. Some are suffering physically and others emotionally. 

It was after a friend’s 4th or 5th stroke and another’s encounter with an exploding tent trailer and my own need for a restored spirit, that the Lord opened my eyes to this verse: 

 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. I Peter 5:10

I read this verse to myself over and over. Then I read it to anyone who would listen. What a gift God’s Word is to us … an ever-present help in the time of trouble. One of the most restorative processes is to be led to particular Scriptures allowing them to wash over us and sink in to our souls. Scripture, time and time again, reminds us of how much God loves us, cares about our trouble, gives us rest, gathers our tears and restores our souls.

When I think of Soul Restoration, the beautiful Psalm David wrote in realization and worship of who God is comes to mind. 

Let’s read it together:

The Lord is my shepherd;He is my guide through life.
I shall not want. He is my provider.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He Gives me REST.
He leads me beside the still waters. He refreshes me.

He restores my soul; He is always in the process of restoring me.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness. After rest, he spurs me on to action.
For His name’s sake. Restoring me and guiding me brings Him glory.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; He is my protector and comforter in the face of life’s greatest sorrows and challenges.


Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. I can be confident in my walk as He is warding off the evil attacks.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; He is taking care of my physical needs in the face of that evil.


You anoint my head with oil; He heals me and has set me apart for His work.

My cup runs over.He blesses me with more than I need so that I can share with others, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. He cares for and tends my weary soul with love and goodness.


All the days of my life; He is with me, not just sometimes but all of the time.


And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I can abide in Him now, here on earth, and can look forward to my eternal home with Him in Heaven.

Meditating on these words brings my focus to the One who can restore my weary soul.

What are some of the things you do to feel restored? 

Sometimes we are too tired to rest, that bone weary tired that sleep does not fix. Sometimes we just need to stop… be still. Admittedly, this is one of my life’s greatest challenges. So my encouragement is not telling you what you need to do, but sharing with you, what I need to do and inviting you to do the same.

Rest

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Even in the valley of the shadow of death). Psalm 4:8 ESV 

Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God. (He makes me lie down in green pastures) Psalm 46:10 ESV

Pray

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me) Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

The Invitation

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (He leads me in the path of righteousness) Matthew 11:28-30 ESV 

Does that restore you?

In our world of instant gratification and desire for immediate results and relief, we are called to wait on the Lord. I encourage you to take advantage of the rest that He offers through His word, worship and holy restoration.

If this has been an encouragement to you, please feel free to share or comment.

There is one last installation in the Destination RESToration series, which will be here, by God’s grace, next week.

Destination RESToration Ten Tools for Restored Relationships

This is part eight of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first seven segments, I encourage you to do so. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God, DR Call the Carpenter. DR Remove, Rinse, & Rest. DR Refine & Replenish.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 NLT

How many of us, when we hear that verse, think, “Well I have tried, but that person will just not cooperate” or “If I try to restore that relationship, that person will have the power to hurt me again.” 

People are complicated.

Humans are fallible.

Navigating relationships can be like navigating a dinghy in ferocious storm in the middle of the vast, powerful, and mysterious ocean. 

Sometimes we have done all we can to live in peace, and the relationship is still not restored. And sometimes, because of the damage done to the relationship in the past, or state of an individual’s heart, we have to pray for that person to be restored to his or her Creator and surrender them to the Master Builder and Healer who can work miracles. 

There are times when a relationship can be restored with a simple apology or conversation. Other times, there is a breach in a relationship because of a stupid misunderstanding, miscommunication, or wrong perception about what a person thinks. 

We are given direction for this type of restoration in Matthew 18:15-17. Go to the person who has offended you. If that does not work, take another believer to speak with that person together; If that still does not work, bring it to the elders of the church. 

Regardless as to whether the offense or breach in our relationships are rectified, we are very clearly told that it is our responsibility to forgive, to not let the sun go down on our anger, Ephesians 4:26-27, to take every though captive to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5.

I have to just add here, that I believe forgiveness is not as much for the one we need to forgive, but for the sake of our own hearts. We must forgive others so that we can have a restored relationship to our Father, Matthew 6:14-15. We must forgive so that we do not let the seed of bitterness grow in our hearts, our hearts that determine the very course of our lives. Proverbs 4:23

Sadly, forgiveness does not always lead to a restored or healthy relationship. Many great books have been written on this. One of my favorites is “Forgiving What You Will Never Forget” by Dr. David Stoop.  It may be necessary to forgive and move on. Dr. Henry Cloud has written a plethora of biblically based information in his books on Boundaries. Both address the process of forgiveness but also the importance of guarding your heart, mind, body, and soul. 

While forgiveness is probably the most important tool in the process of restoring relationships, Scripture and wisdom give us a whole toolbox full of the tools we need and instructions for use. 

Often, a simple, heart-felt, “I’m sorry, will you forgive me,” statement is enough. There might be a little sting from an unthoughtful word or action, but other times, there is a lot of work to be done. Some restorations are necessary due to years of neglect or misuse. It is important to approach all of these with wise counsel and humble preparations. 

Let’s talk about how we can pack our toolbox with the necessary tools for these monumental restoration projects. 

Ten Tools for Relationship Restoration

  1. Prayer is the most powerful tool in the toolbox. It is available to everyone all of the time. It requires very little instruction for use. It is like the power strip in which every other one of our tools will be connected and have the power to do the work for which it is intended. This is where we must start before we embark on any restoration journey. We need to pray for our own heart to be pure and for the person with whom we need restoration to also have a heart of forgiveness, humility and reconciliation. 

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:13-16

2. Repentance can be a tough place to start, but we are directed in scripture to get the plank our of our own eyes before we attempt to get the sliver out of our friend’s eye, Matthew 7:5. We have all heard the old saying “It takes two to tango.” This is almost always true where restoration is necessary. So before we go to our brother, sister, friend, husband, or wife with an expectation of restoration, we need to be on our knees before the One who died for our sins, asking Him to give us a clean heart. Psalm 51:2

3. Humility will bring far greater results than pride. If we go into a restoration get-together with pride in our hearts, we are already defeated, because we are going in with a sinful heart.  Having humility in our hearts helps us to be adorned with the other tools necessary for restoration. 

    Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 NLT

    4. Honesty can be a tough pill to swallow, and it can be equally hard to speak the truth to someone with whom we need restoration. Scripture tells us to speak the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15, so that we can live a righteous life and do the work God has called us to. We are also called to help restore our brother/sister back into right living and that requires honestly confronting sin but doing it in love, humility and gentleness, Galatians 6:1

    5. Forgiveness is a necessary tool in the process of restoration. We already spent some time discussing this earlier, but it would be good to note that not only do we need to offer forgiveness to others, but we need to be willing to receive it as well. There is an undeniable blessing in receiving forgiveness first from our Father and from our fellow sojourners. Psalms 32

    6. Gentleness will yield far better results than harsh words. Think of restoring a relationship like restoring the fine finish on a priceless heirloom. Taking a hammer, harsh chemicals and steel wool will only ruin what has taken years to perfect. We know that harsh words stir up anger, but gentle words are healing to the soul. Proverbs 15:1  Even the prophet Jeremiah asked the Lord to correct him but said, “please be gentle lest I die.” Jeremiah 10:24.

    7. Understanding is a tool that must be used in tandem with all the other tools in our proverbial toolbox. It is something that comes when we are quick to listen and slow to speak, James 1:19. If we are gentle, humble, compassionate and full of mercy, we are far more likely to be understanding when the need arises in the restoration process.

    8. Patience is not a tool that is easily utilized. We, by nature and by our ‘immediate gratification’ culture want results immediately. We do not want to wait for the paint to dry or the cement to solidify before we start adding ‘stuff’ to the project. In relationship restoration, often there has been years of hurt or misunderstanding. Trust may have been lost. It is necessary to be patient in the immediate conversations, being quick to listen. (James 1). But is even more important to be patient in the healing process. We cannot expect, short of the work of the Holy Spirit, to have immediate restoration results when the destruction has happened over days, weeks, years, or a lifetime.  James 1:2-4, 12  

    Better to be patient than powerful;
        better to have self-control than to conquer a city. Proverbs 16:32 NLT

    9. Protection can come in many forms. When I am working with wood, sanders, and saws I have to wear gloves and goggles. In the same way, before we begin a relationship restoration, we need to don the protection described in our instruction booklet for life. We need to put on the “Whole Armor of God” described in Ephesians 6:13-16 NLT

    Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

    10. Wisdom is the tool of knowledge of how to use all of the other tools in the toolbox. James 3:17 tells us, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” And James 1:5 tells us if we lack wisdom to ask God for it, and He will give it to us generously and without judgement. When God gives us that wisdom, He expects us to rely on Him for it, in faith. 

    Depending on God to give us the tools to use and relying on Him to give us the wisdom in knowing how to use them will make our relationship restoration go far more smoothly than if we try to fix things in our own power. His power is made perfect in our weakness, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And when I am weak, then am I strong, only through His power.

    Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14

    There is nothing like a good toolbox or tool bag to contain my tools. I carry one in my car at all times. You never know when you might need a hammer, screwdriver, or wire cutters. I like to think of LOVE as the toolbox that contains all the above-mentioned tools. It holds everything together in one place. It makes the tools all work together more efficiently. It makes the process more desirable and bearable. It is what we are told to do in 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

    What are some other tools that you might find helpful in relationship restoration? Where do you find them in Scripture? 

    Is there someone you need to pursue for restoration? 

    What is one step you can take today towards that goal? 

    I hope this has been an encouragement to you. Please feel free to comment, share, and join me back here for the final two installations in Destination RESToration.

    Photo credit, Pixel free photos.

    Destination RESToration Refining and Replenishing

    This is part seven of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first six segments, I encourage you to do so before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God, DR Call the Carpenter. DR Remove, Rinse, & Rest.

    Often, we seek the Lord. We have our quiet time. We spend time in God’s Word. Our hearts are in the right place. Maybe we have had a beautiful time of rest on vacation or a spiritual retreat. And then it hits. The spiritual attacks. That restored finish gets a little banged up. We begin to feel the weight of the burdens threatening to crush us. The enemy loves to beat us up, and his timing is uncanny.

    But God’s Word tells us to not lose hope. That we are renewed day by day when we keep our eyes fixed on Him and not on the trials that tend to leave scars and dents in the polished surface of our hearts.

    Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

    Because we are in a spiritual battle, there is always a need for renewal and restoration. In the restoration process, after demolition, after preparation, after removal of the debris, there is a refining process. There are still rough spots to be smoothed, slivers to be removed and polishing to be done. 

    Our Master Builder is always busy at work refining our lives. He uses a variety of techniques to protect us, polish us, and bring our countenance to a beautiful shine that helps us to better reflect His Imago Dei once again.

    Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend”.

    Think of good friends as finishing sandpaper and part of the refining process. It’s good to have a friend that can say the tough stuff to us and hold us accountable, friends who can speak the truth in love. That friend can also pick us up when we fall. Friends must earn that place in someone’s life but they are essential to our spiritual refinement.

    Too often, we are afraid of this part of restoration. We hold back the truth for fear of damaging a relationship or hurting one’s feelings. Honestly, when I have spinach stuck in my teeth, I expect my friends to tell me of the offending vegetable. It is the same with sin, struggles or obstacles I may be oblivious to in my life. I want my friends to call these things to my attention and help smooth the rough spots in my finish.

    Trials, accountability, refining fire are all part of what builds and shapes us, refines us. No matter how much Krud Kutter, sand paper, or other refining tools, the trials and tribulations we have face may leave scars. Some scars can be smoothed away, but others leave an indelible mark. Those scars serve as reminders as to where we have been and how we have been restored. His scars are a reminder of the price He paid for our restoration. His finished work. 

    After the removal and refining steps are done, occasionally we need to replenish, put on a new coat of paint, rub in some oil, or protect the masterpiece with a polyurethane finish. This is one step that may often need to be repeated. 

    Depending on the type of wood, exposure to the elements, and use, it usually needs a treatment of oil on a regular basis. It refreshes the surface, protects the fiber and grains, and it can bring back the beauty of something that appears worn out and past its prime.

    God is so good. He uses circumstances, friends, His Word, worship and rest to refine us. He smooths out our rough spots, puts us through the refining fire. But He does not stop there. He replenishes us. He anoints us with oil just when we are starting to feel dull and are losing the ability to see His reflection in our finish. He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit and covered us with his protective care.

    There are around twenty scriptures regarding anointing with oil. The purpose ranges from the priests being set apart for sacred service to healing of the sick. One of the most well known Scripture of all times is Psalms 23. Verse five says, “He anoints my head with oil.” This anointing comes toward the end of the passage after the psalmist has walked through the valley of the shadow of death. It is a symbol of healing, refreshment, provision, and protection.

    We are his finished masterpiece and he has covered us with his beauty for our protection and to help us reflect His image. 

    How do you need restoration? Do you need a little touch up, or do you need to dig deep and get all of the crud out of the cracks and scars this world has left you with?

    Reach out to a friend who can help polish and refine you.

    Ask the Lord to help you get rid of the old junk and restore your soul and anoint your head with His oil.

    Meditate on His word. Joshua 1:8

    Listen through the Psalms. YouVersion Bible App for your phone

    Let Scripture be the healing balm for your soul that you need. Psalm 103:1-6

    Wait on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31

    Depend on Him to finish His work in you. Philippians 1:6

    Take a walk or look out your window and appreciate God’s creation. Job 12: 7-10

    My prayer for you today is this:

    And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:17-21

    There are as many restoration projects as there are people on this earth, and we have barely touched the surface. There are two more installations in this series: “Tools for Restoring Relationships” and “The Value of Restoration.” With God’s grace, I will have them here for you in the next couple of weeks.

    Please feel free to share this post with someone who may benefit from it.

    My Basket of Christmas Goodies

    Merry Christmas Friends,

    If you are like me, this month is too busy. We forget where we put our favorite recipes. We forget to have our prayer time (the whole reason for the season) or don’t spend as much time meditating on God’s word as we need to. We may have grand plans, but time just seems to speed up and the tasks multiply at a mind-numbing speed. And before we know it, the new year has begun, and the rat race has started all over. 

    In my quiet time, I have been asking the Lord to restore unto me the joy of His salvation so that it can overflow into the people I interact with, including the grocery clerk, the “customer service” people on the other end of the phone (This one may be the hardest. They can’t see my eyes rolling, but God does.) my neighbors, my children, my parents, and my husband. I hate it when I get irritable and respond without grace to any of the above.  

    Here are some of the ways I love to worship even in the midst of a crazy busy season:

    • Get up early and turn on the Christmas lights and have time with Jesus while the house is quiet.
    • Watch a sunrise or sunset.
    • Every time I see a Nativity scene, I thank God for giving us His son. 
    • Listen to the accounts of the Nativity in Matthew and Luke on the Audio Bible App 
    • If I am feeling lonely, I reach out to someone who needs some love.

    What do you do to remember the reason for the season? I would love to hear from you. 

    If you were to visit my home right now, you may be served leftovers or cheese and crackers. But they would be good leftovers. What I have to offer you here are some good leftovers from the past few years of blogs. If you wondered about any of the recipes I have shared before, they are in one of these links. If you need to get your heart focused on the true meaning of Christmas, there are some good reflections below. 

    Whatever you are doing today, I encourage you to slow down. Take a deep breath. Remember the beauty of what Jesus did for us by coming as a baby, living as a human, dying on the cross, and being raised from the dead to give us all new life. 

    Meditations on Christmas: 

    What Are You Doing to Prepare for Advent

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2022/11/30/what-are-you-doing-to-prepare-for-advent/

    Seeing His Splendor and Majesty in Christmas

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2022/12/07/splendor-and-majesty-2/

    Mary Knew What God Was Asking of Her and She Still Said “May it be unto me as you have said.”

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2022/12/12/did-mary-know/

    God has Given us a Gift; We Only Need to Receive it.

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2021/12/07/open-the-box/

    Recipes and Reflections of Christmases Past:

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2020/11/17/scones-skivers-and-hospitality/

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2020/11/23/scones-skivers-and-hospitality-part-two/

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2022/05/05/grandmas-cranberries-and-cinnamon-rolls/

    Note: I am not using the Bridgeford frozen bread dough anymore as their recipe has changed. Here is a link to a yummy bread dough that works great for the cinnamon rolls. https://smittenkitchen.com/2021/10/old-school-dinner-rolls/

    https://kerilynnwillis.com/2022/05/06/grandmas-cranberries-cinnamon-rolls-part-ii/

    Have a blessed Christmas. See you here in the New Year. 

    Epidemic of Loneliness A Biblical Response

    He will place the lonely in families…

    It should come as no surprise, that on the heels of the pandemic, in which we were institutionally isolated, there is another crisis looming. The epidemic is loneliness. It is such a predicament that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued an advisory with steps that we should take to combat the impact of this potentially deadly malady. You can read the whole advisory here, but a word of warning, it is eighty pages long and might leave you feeling sad or even… lonely.

    Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation – PDF

    The Holiday season is notoriously one of the loneliest times of the year. But it does not only reserve the months of November and December to wreak havoc in the lives and hearts of people throughout the world. It is a plague that can assault us at strategic and unexpected times in our daily lives. 

    It is a weapon in the hands of the Enemy, but it is a powerful invitation from the Almighty to run to Him and be held in His comforting embrace. 

    Note: At the time I first wrote this article, the Surgeon General had not released his study or recommendations. I have, since, included some of his information on the subject and how we as a church and individual believers should respond. 

    I don’t want to get too preachy here or even remotely political, but this loneliness is a direct result of the destruction of the fabric of our society, faith and family.

    Throughout history, the core of our social functioning has been the nuclear and extended family and our church families. And throughout history, the Enemy as struck out at these institutions with vehemence. 

    In my woeful thinking, it has NEVER been this bad. But if you study history, really it has been worse. The difference, I think, is the masking of this “crisis” by the use of all forms of media. 

    Social Media would make us believe that individual worlds are all rosy, while mainstream media is clear that the whole world is going to hell in a handbasket. Why can’t we just all tell the truth? This may be a redundant question, but the answer is, because very few know The Truth (John 8:32). Truth has become relative and so people have become like waves tossed about on the ocean. 

    Loneliness is not a new struggle. 

    In my senior year at a large Christian college, I was a dorm prayer leader. I had a regular group of eight to ten college girls who would come to my room twice a week for devotions and prayer. Twice a year the leaders would choose a topic and the girls could go to whichever prayer group with the topic they thought would be most beneficial to them.

    I was speaking on loneliness. There were ten groups and a total of seventy to eighty girls in the dorm. I expected maybe five or six to show up. After all, how could someone be lonely in a dorm of eighty residents, at a Christian college with upwards of 4,000 professing Christians? 

    Twenty girls showed up to my relatively small dorm room. They were sitting on my roommates’ beds, on the floor, on the sink and desks. I had to turn girls away and do a second session. Every one of those girls expressed that they were in the loneliest season of their lives. 

    The prophet, Elijah, running for his life, cried out to God, “I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” I Kings 19 It was in his utter loneliness and despair that he heard God’s still small voice, a whispered assurance the God cared and that he was, in fact, not alone.

    Can you imagine how lonely Job was when his friends pummeled him emotionally and his wife told him to curse God and die?

    Can you imagine how lonely Jesus was in the garden and His disciples fell asleep when He needed their support the most, or when Peter completely denied even knowing Him?

    In his report, the Surgeon General has a list of recommendations to combat this epidemic. As believers and as the church, we should know, the Great Physician has already given us the remedy. The six recommendations by the Surgeon General are listed below with some ideas on how we as believers and as a church can respond. 

    Strengthen Social Infrastructure:

    The Surgeon General:

     “Connections are not just influenced by individual interactions, but by the physical elements of a community (parks, libraries, playgrounds) and the programs and policies in place. To strengthen social infrastructure, communities must design environments that promote connection, establish and scale community connection programs, and invest in institutions that bring people together.”

    The Great Physician:

    Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT)

    Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to weave a community so that we will not be easily shaken. Throughout history much of that support system was the church being the hands and feet of Jesus. 

    The church as a whole is facing a new challenge. We may have become weary in well doing and have dropped the responsibility of our “neighbor’s” well-being (spiritual, emotional, and physical) fall into the hands of the government and healthcare industry. That, my friends, is a scary thought. 

    Even as I am writing this, I am convicted and challenged as to how I am caring for my “neighbor.” How am I staying connected? How am I helping provide for their needs? What structures or outreaches is my church doing to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our hurting world?

    Enact Pro-Connection Public Policies:

    The Surgeon General

     “National, state, local, and tribal governments play a role in establishing policies like accessible public transportation or paid family leave that can support and enable more connection among a community or a family.”

    The Great Physician:

    Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)

    Our churches (and the individuals within our churches) need to be drawing people in to encourage them and motivate them. We need to rely on the gifts He has given us to minister within the body of Christ and outside of our church walls. We need to love on the widows and orphans (James 1:27), welcome the hurting and lonely (Matthew 22:8-10) and feed the hungry (Matthew 25:35-36).

    Mobilize the Health Sector:

    The Surgeon General:

     “Because loneliness and isolation are risk factors for several major health conditions (including heart disease, dementia, depression) as well as for premature death, health care providers are well-positioned to assess patients for risk of loneliness and intervene.”

    The Great Physician:

    A cheerful heart is good medicine,
        but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.     Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)

    We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said,
        “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”     Psalm 126:2 (NLT)

    Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
    I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.     Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

    God places the lonely in families… Psalm 68:6

    The National Library on Medicine has written a lengthy piece on the benefits of laughter.  You can read it here: The Laughter Prescription.

    The Great Physician knew we would need to laugh when He created us. The best thing about laughter as a prescription is that it is free, needs no prior authorization, produces immediate results of uplifted spirits, physical energy and renewal, and it actually lowers blood pressure. 

    The health care industry does not prescribe laughter, and it certainly does not make me laugh! But have you ever been with friends and had to sit down right on the ground because you were laughing so hard? I have, and I know that laughter is just what I needed to “feel better.” 

    Reform Digital Environments:

    The Surgeon General

     “We must critically evaluate our relationship with technology and ensure that how we interact digitally does not detract from meaningful and healing connection with others.”

    The Great Physician:

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

    May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer… Psalm 19:14 (NLT)

    Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29b

    Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5

    Countless friendships have been ruined by thoughtless words on social media. Families have been divided. Unfair comparisons are made, and jealous thoughts perpetuated. People of all ages, all over the world are addicted to TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and other media outlets that falsely fuel self-worth or self-loathing. 

    There is an old saying, “You can’t legislate morality.” And really, it is true. We can only legislate our own hearts and minds. We cannot look to social media as the Author and Finisher of our faith. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus who will not condemn us or elevate us in our own minds. But He will help us to see ourselves and others through the lens of His redeeming love and grace. 

    We can use social media as a means of connection and ministry, but we cannot let media and the Enemy use it as a weapon of mass destruction to our character and to the moral fiber of society. 

    Deepen Our Knowledge:

    The Surgeon General:

     “A more robust research agenda, beyond the evidence outlined in the advisory, must be established to further our understanding of the causes and consequences of social disconnection, populations at risk, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost connection.”

    The Great Physician:

    For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

    The Surgeon General suggests that further research needs to be done to understand why people are lonely and what can be done about it. I have to say, right now, I feel like face palming my forehead and saying, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?”  

    Do we really need to spend billions of dollars to see that we have taken our eyes off Jesus and put our own selfish souls on the throne of our hearts? 

    I have days when I am terribly lonely, missing my kids, missing my friends, maybe having a bit of a self-pity party. I will call one and then the next, then the next, and no one answers. Those moments are when I realize I need to quit focusing inward and reach out to Jesus. 

    He is always available. Always wants to chat. Always wants to show me the way to go. Always shows compassion and comfort. And as 2 Corinthians 1:4 tells us “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

    Cultivate a Culture of Connection:

    The Surgeon General:

    “The informal practices of everyday life (the norms and culture of how we engage one another) significantly influence the relationships we have in our lives. We cannot be successful in the other pillars without a culture of connection.”

    The Great Physician:

    Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approachGod’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

    Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself… Galatians 6:2-3

    See also Hebrews 10:23-25 

    We are not created to be alone. We are created to be in a community. Some are extroverts and finding community is no great challenge. Others are introverts and have to intentionally work to establish friendships and a community in which they can be transparent and supported. 

    The most apparent extroverts who are surrounded by people all of the time can be lonely and ones who are viewed as introverts who “don’t need” much social interaction can be drowning in a river of self-isolation. 

    Scripture is given to ALL of us, introverts, extroverts and those somewhere in the middle. It directs us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. It tells us to encourage one another, hold each other accountable, pray for each other, and love one another. 

    While there are many dangers of loneliness, there can also be benefits to it as well. These bullet points and verses are provided as a means for further study and reflection on the pitfalls and blessings of loneliness. 

    Dangers of Loneliness:

    • Loneliness can be masked – We can be with hundreds of people daily yet be lonely.
    • Isolation can be dangerous – There is no accountability, the wrong kind of noise or narrative can be present in our heads. 
    • We can become lazy in our relationships and communications.
    • We can become too self-focused. 
    • What danger do you face in your lonely times?

    SEVEN BENEFITS OF LONELINESS

    Sometimes the Lord will use loneliness to help us rest, even when we are resisting it. Reflecting on God’s goodness and blessing in our lives can dissipate the feelings of loneliness.

    REST

    • Be still and revel in who God is (Psalm 46)
    • Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
    • Our God who never sleeps or never slumbers gave us an example of resting. Did you know 14% of creation was spent in rest.
    • Resting in Jesus should help us stop the busy and self-destructive noise in our heads. Take every thought captive 2 Corinthians 10:5

    REFLECTION

    • As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart Proverbs 27:19
    • Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.  Psalm 34:8
    • God also gave us the example, in creation, to look back and reflect on what we have done. In our case, good and bad, so that we can give glory to God and also take satisfaction in a job well done (Galatians 6:4-5) or make course corrections where needed.

    RENEW 

    RESET PRIORITIES/REDIRECT PRIORITIES

    • What treasures are you gathering? Luke 12:34 – where your treasure is there will your heart be… 
    • Are you seeking God first? Matthew 6:33
    • Are you a  Mary or a Martha? Are we too busy doing “stuff”… even if it is good stuff, is it the right stuff? Are we looking at all the stuff and not our Savior? Luke 10:38-42
    • Let us throw off anything that hinders us from running the race (distracts us from God’s will which is to glorify Him in all we do) Hebrews 12

    RESTORE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER 

    •  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:15-16
    • Psalm 51:12 – restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit in me.
    • Restoration takes communication and commitment. Our Father wants us to lay it all out there for Him. He knows our hearts anyway; we might as well get his feedback. 
    • Search the scriptures, pray more, read a book with a message of God’s love and faithfulness.

    REACH OUT

    To Jesus and to someone who needs a friend.

    • Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Psalm 25:16
    • In looking outward, you may meet the need of someone, even an angel. Hebrews 13: 1-3  

    RECONNECT

    With new connections and with others who are already in your circles. 

    • “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.”
    • Hebrews 10:23-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
    • Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
    • Psalm 133  How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
    • Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

    Finally, I Peter 4:8-10 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

    What can you do today to reverse the effects of loneliness in your life? How can you help someone else out of the pit of loneliness? How can we, as a church and as individuals, respond to this “epidemic of loneliness” in a God honoring and healing way? 

    I would love to hear your ideas and feedback. Maybe together we can be a part of the cure to this devastating epidemic.  

    Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. Amen

    Destination RESToration: Remove Rinse and REST

    This is part six of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first five segments, I encourage you to do so before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God, DR Call the Carpenter.

    REMOVE THE CRUD

    If you have worked on a restoration project that requires sanding and digging out the layers of crud built up over the years, you know there will be a lot of debris on and in the vicinity of your project. It can be a real mess.

    In the same way, removing the remnants from years of hurt, sin and bitterness from our hearts and lives can be a messy, yet it is a vital part of the restoration process.

    And like the old song says “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

    RINSE AWAY THE DEBRIS

    After sanding and digging out that crud, it’s essential to clean away the debris. Dry brushing and vacuuming is good, but it usually will require a good scrub and may be a full-on fresh water wash down.  

    Titus tells us that, When the kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy, he saved us through the WASHING of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

    And If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

    …Wash me and I will be white as snow; Cleanse me with hyssop. Psalm 51

    It’s important to get rid of all “crud” in our lives so we can accurately reflect the image of God and not let any of our debris mar the finished work in our lives.

    The previous steps of the restoration process can be painful. Sometimes we have to dig in and keep at it, but after the recognition of the need for restoration, the repentance, and the cleansing, we need to rest.

    REST

    I know, by experience, that if I start the next phase of a restoration project before it has “rested” there will be a problem. Either the glue doesn’t hold something together, the color is uneven because the wood didn’t dry properly, or the stain/paint rubs off on my clothes because I didn’t give it enough time to dry. What a pain it is to have to start all over again.

    I may have a problem being patient…

    Too often, we confess, go to counseling, or restore a relationship and check it off the list like we are ready to move onto the next activity.

    Rest really is not a four-letter word, not even a suggestion or a good idea, but a command from God, and it is an essential part of the restoration process.

    Just like our physical bodies, our souls need time to rest and recover. God does not need us to hurry up and move on to the next thing.

    Did you know that almost 15% of the Creation timeline is God resting? This is from a God who does not sleep or slumber. He rested to enjoy the fruit of His labor and to set an example for us.

    Throughout scripture we are told to rest, to have a Sabbath, to be still. God even gave directions for letting the ground/soil rest every seven years for one year, about 15% of the time. Why is it so hard to realize that we need to slow down, rest and be still? 

    Psalm 37:7  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. 

    He created us. He knows what we need, and REST is at the top of the list. 

    We are working towards eternity. God is not rushing us. He does not expect a 17 year old to have the wisdom of a 60 year old. He does not expect a brand new Christian to have the same knowledge and understanding of Scripture that He expects a mature believer to possess.

    He doesn’t expect a brand new believer to be an elder in the church. He does not require us to go through trials, hurt, grief, mountaintop or valley experiences without rest.

    Even Jesus escaped His crazy, busy ministry to rest. Once, He was so tired He fell asleep on a boat in the middle of a storm. And when His weary disciples were terrified and ready to abandon ship, He commanded the sea by saying “Peace, be still!”

    And He tells us in Matthew 11, “Come unto me you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.“

    Fortunately, He is the Master Builder. He is the architect, carpenter, and restoration expert. He designed and knows the plans for our lives.

    If you feel like you have messed up God’s masterpiece, don’t worry, He is in the business of restoration. He has all the equipment and knowledge to restore your masterpiece to its original purpose and beauty and He has all the time in the world… literally.

    What debris is cluttering your heart? I encourage you to allow Jesus to remove it as far as the east is from the west and restore your soul.

    As we enter this holiday season, let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and take time to rest so that we do not become “weary in doing good.”

    What can you say no to this season? Will you choose to be like Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus? How can you choose to rest today?

    I hope you are enjoying this series & hope to see you here next week for the next installment. Please feel free to share or comment.

    Destination RESToration: Call the Carpenter

    This is part five of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first four segments, I encourage you to do so before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration, DR Restored Communion with God.

    I have watched more than a few YouTube videos on how to make a variety of repairs. I occasionally call someone with more knowledge or wisdom than I have to guide me through a process. Sometimes it is a simple task, others… not so much. 

    As I was building a table for my backyard, I was struggling with the legs, getting the angle right, attaching them properly. I kept hearing a voice in my head, saying “call the carpenter” or even phone a friend, while the independent, know it all was telling me “I could do it myself.” 

    Dropping the would be table legs a dozen times trying to hold them just so, I got slivers, bruises and abrasions from hitting large pieces of lumber on my shin… multiple times. OUCH!

    You may have heard the old phrase, “measure twice, cut once. I measured ten times and cut at least four different sets of legs and still didn’t get it right.

    But I completed the table “all by myself,” then promptly realized that one side was an inch higher than the other. Ugh!!!  I then remembered the scripture about two working better than one… Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. Oops…

    I definitely needed another set of hands while building the table. I contemplated what to do next. Do I take it apart??? Do I cut a bit off here or there? Then the voice started again… “Call the carpenter!”

    Already having made a mess of things myself, I called my uncle, a master builder, not just a phone call but a video call so he could guide me through what I needed to do.

    In about 10 minutes I had it fixed.

    However, the way I fixed it left a permanent, sloping reminder that had I asked for help to begin with, from the carpenter or from a friend, (I mean I do have a German engineer living next door, for crying our loud!) I would not have had to make the correction after all of the hard work I had originally done. 

    Isn’t that how we are in life, so often, too proud to ask for help. We don’t consult the Master Builder who knows the original design for our lives. We try to function independently of him and one another within the body of Christ.

    We know this is no way to achieve success. The simple truth is found in Psalm 127; Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.

    We don’t want to ask for help or let anyone see our flaws. We make a mess of things and ask for help after the fact. Or worse, we make a mess and then just try to hide so no one will discover our failures. UGH… and Numbers 32:23 tells us “Be sure your sin will find you out.”

    Scripture gives us the encouragement as to where our help comes from:

    I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2

    We don’t read the instruction booklet He gave us with such clear guidelines for building our lives. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3;16

    Why, why are we so stubborn?

    Because building a God honoring life and subsequent restorations require the recognition of our depravity, dependence and need for repentance. It requires humility… and we are a proud people who need the debris of pride and self sufficiency removed from our hearts. 

    My prayer for myself is that I seek God first, that I “call the Carpenter” before I bulldoze my way through the challenges life brings to me. I don’t want redos. I want to do it right the first time… whatever “it” is.

    If you need help in your soul restoration, I encourage you to “call the Carpenter.” Seek God. Ask a friend for help. Ask your pastor or a trusted spiritual mentor. Don’t let pride stand in the way of you being a masterpiece designed and built by the Master Builder.

    I believe the words spoken to the prophet Jeremiah are as true for us today as they were for him thousands of years ago:

    “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

    I hope you are enjoying this series. Please feel free to share, to comment, or to ask questions. I hope to see you back next week for Destination RESToration: Remove, Rinse, & Rest.

    Destination RESToration: Restored Communion with God

    This is part four of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first three segments, I encourage you to do that before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose, DR Preparing for Restoration.
    Why do we need restoration in our communion with? 

    Sin 

    Because we are walking in the flesh

    Because we don’t guard our hearts

    Because we try to do God’s work in our own power

    Because we take our eyes off of Jesus

    Why might you need restoration?

    Steps to Restoration

    Recognize the Need

    When I brought home an old worn out table that was bound for the trash, the first thing I did was sand a little corner and wipe it down with water to  see what it would look like after the restoration process was finished. It was beautiful. But I recognized that there was work ahead. It NEEDED restoration. It might be messy, but it was going to be so worth it!

    Most of us know the story of David. He is the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz, the great, great-grandson of Rehab the prostitute. He is an ancestor of Jesus and is considered a man after God’s own heart. But man was he a mess! He was only a young man when he was anointed to be King of Israel. 

    It would be years before he ascended to the throne. Before he became king, he killed a lion, a bear, and Goliath all in the name of the Lord. He was a mighty warrior, killing tens of thousands of the enemy.

    Then he became king. He had the world by its tail. He was successful. He had friends. He ruled the whole nation. But he let his earthly position start to rot his spiritual station. From the palace he looked down and lusted after Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, took her in to his home as a ‘wife,’ got her pregnant, had Uriah killed and didn’t see a thing wrong with it.

    He didn’t recognize his repulsive sin until Nathan told him this story:

    2 Samuel 12  So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.  One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

    David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 

    Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!

    Sometimes we are oblivious to the “yuck” the sin in our lives. The first step in the restoration process is to recognize the sin and the responsibility for it. 

    Repentance is the next step to restored communion with God.

    In Psalms 51 we can start to see why David is considered a man after God’s heart. He humbles himself and recognizes his depravity and repents of his sin.

    Have mercy on me, O God,
        because of your unfailing love.
    Because of your great compassion,
        blot out the stain of my sins.
     Wash me clean from my guilt.
        Purify me from my sin.
     For I recognize my rebellion;
        it haunts me day and night.
     Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
        I have done what is evil in your sight.

    Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
        wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
    Oh, give me back my joy again;
        you have broken me—
        now let me rejoice.

     Create in me a clean heart, O God.
        Renew a loyal (right) spirit within me.

    Restore to me the joy of your salvation
        and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

    When I start feeling irritated and grumbly, when I am feeling like I need restoration,  verse ten is the prayer my soul whispers. Like David, I have a tendency to take my eyes off of God and look at my surroundings, other people, their success, their families, their homes. That is how my soul gets run down and weary. When I start to feel like a worn out, dilapidated, used up dwelling. This is my first prayer. “Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me.”

    Verse twelve tells us that the reward of repentance is the Joy of Salvation.

    Repentance is not an easy task. It takes humility, forgiveness, and trust. It takes digging into the cracks and crevices of our hearts. It is like the Krud Kutter, the toxic chemicals, and the sandpaper, taking away the messes that we have made on our beautifully and wonderfully made lives.

    When we have gotten rid of the rot and crud in our lives, we are prepared to do his good work and to be His masterpiece (See Ephesians 4) 

    Sometimes we need humble ourselves and ask for help from someone who has more wisdom than we do. Sometimes we need to confess our sins to another human being in order to be held accountable. James 5:16 (NLT)says: 

    Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. – and we are made righteous through his sacrifice on the cross. 

    Is there someone in your life you trust enough to tell you, “you are that man” as Nathan did for David? What is your response when they do? Do you see why it is important to recognize our need for restoration and go through the seemingly arduous, yet simple steps?

    I encourage you to pray as David did:

    “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24

    I would love to hear from you any thoughts on the idea of restoration to communion with God. You can leave them here or email me at soulwater@kerilynnwillis.com.

    See you next week for “Destination RESToration: Call the Carpenter.”

    Destination RESToration: Preparation for Restoration

    This is part three of Destination RESToration. If you have not read the first two segments, I encourage you to do so before you move on to this section. Destination RESToration, DR Restored to Our Original Purpose

    Any good restoration project needs to have a plan, preparation, the right equipment and protective gear, and you must read the safety and instruction booklet.

    Gloves and goggles are pretty essential for many restoration projects. Good shoes protect out feet from falling objects or debris left in the wake of our creativity.

    Every once in a while, I’ll start a project without a plan or proper protective gear. Sometimes I have not cleared my workspace of potential hazards.

    I have scars to show it. 

    Are you the kind of person who starts building that Ikea table without looking at the instructions or just gets an idea in your head and, as my husband says, just starts pushing buttons? I am. But I am learning that going slow is okay. Effectively reading and understanding the directions before I start anything can alleviate so much pain and heartache.

    How do we prepare for restoration projects of our souls?

    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

    Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

    Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

    Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

    And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

    Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

    And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.  Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV

    As our work is laid out before us, we need to put on the armor to protect and prepare ourselves for any trouble that comes our way. 

    Beginning the restoration process, we need to put on the Helmet of Salvation. We need to ask Jesus to forgive our sins and begin a good work in us. And we know that “He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it.” Philippians 1:6 And be confident that He will keep working on us until He returns to take us to Heaven. We need to have that helmet to keep us safe from the flying debris of spiritual warfare swarming around us. 

    The Breastplate of Righteousness guards our hearts, which is the wellspring of life.

    The Belt of Truth helps us understand who we are in Christ and keeps us from believing what the Father of Lies is constantly trying to speak into our souls. It helps us keep the debris from filling our minds with garbage. 

    The Shield of Faith helps us to deflect the fiery darts of doubt, shame, unhealthy self-talk, and spiritual warfare. 

    Frequently I picture the Shield of Faith like a “cone of silence” from the 60’s TV show “Get Smart.” The secret agents would engage the cone of silence to prevent “Chaos” from hearing and interfering with their plans. I don’t have to hold that shield up and only protect a small portion of my mind or heart, but He is the shield all around me. Psalm 3:3. He is before me, behind me, beside me, above me, and within me. He has the power to extinguish every fiery dart before I know it is coming my way.

    When our feet are covered with readiness and peace, our shoes protect us from walking into trouble and off the narrow road. They also make us ready to share the good news of peace wherever we go. And as the prophet Isaiah tells us the Lord will tell “This is the way, walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

    The Sword of the Spirit is God’s Word. It is our instruction booklet for whatever restoration project we face. It equips us with the knowledge and wisdom we need for the good times and the bad. It protects us. It contains more than pictures we have to decipher, but step by step, detailed instructions for life. 

    And prayer is the most powerful tool in the toolbox and the easiest to use.  We are told to not worry about anything but pray about everything. Philippians 4:6

    If we would only remember that we have all of these tools and all of this protection available to us all the time, with directions on how to use them at our finger tips… If we would only remember, we probably would not need the constant restoration in our lives. 

    Lord help me remember to put on the full armor everyday. 

    We are human. We fail. We make mistakes. We get worn out. “But don’t lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

    Are you fighting battles that would be better fought if you had the Shield of Faith covering you? Do you put on the Breastplate of Righteousness to guard your heart? Are your feet fit with the Gospel of Peace?

    In my sad opinion, spiritual warfare is currently very intense. The Enemy is working overtime to kill, steal, and destroy. Don’t let him have even one ounce of power in your life. Wake up every morning and suit up ready for battle and remember that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!

    Thanks for being here. I hope you are blessed by the messages God has given to me to share. Feel free to share with a friend or a group and leave your thoughts in the comments. Next week will be “Destination RESToration; Renewed Communion With God.” Hope to see you here again next week.

    Destination RESToration Restored to our Original Purpose

    True restoration is the act of bringing something back to its original purpose.

    So, what is our original, God created, and ordained purpose? 

                To walk with God

                To commune with God

                To worship God

                To glorify God

                To be image bearers

    How do we get back to that original purpose?

    Sometimes there must be demolition.

    If you watch “Fixer Upper” you know that Chip’s favorite day is demolition day. Sometimes there are roots clogging the pipes or cracking the foundation. Sometimes there is rot deep down that must be dug out and destroyed. It is out with the old and in with the new.

    2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” … And Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that “He makes everything beautiful in his time.”

    I have a table that my TV equipment sits on. It is an old cherry wood drop leaf table that a fellow teacher had in her classroom. When she retired, it had layers of paint and glue. It had scratches and stains. 

    The legs were cut to a level where the kids could sit on the floor around the table. And according to the principal who was cleaning out the classroom, the table had seen its better days, served its purpose and was ready for the dumpster. 

    As it was being carted to its sure death, I redeemed it. I tested the surface to see how much work, what kind of sandpaper and how much toxic chemicals it would need to be restored. I started with an extra course sandpaper in order to remove the top layer of debris and years of elementary school crafts and creations, maybe even some bubble gum. And worked until I could see the emerging beauty beneath the crud. 

    Pause, if you will, with me for a little shopping trip. You might not think that a trip to the hardware store could be a spiritual journey, but I invite you to take a little excursion with me and see what you think. 

    If you go into your local hardware, you will see three main levels of sandpaper, but if you go online, you can choose from hundreds of sandpaper options, each with an intended purpose.

    The most course sandpaper is “40” grit. Its purpose is to remove layers of stuff and chunks of yuck that have built up over the years of use and abuse. 

    You can choose anything from 80-180 grit that is to prepare the surface for becoming beautiful again. And the finest grit sandpaper 220-320 grit (some even as fine as 1500), is labeled finish. It is for smoothing out and making wood grain and the original beauty of the wood come to life. 

    Sometimes the sandpaper isn’t enough to remove all the yuck and you need to use something a little more toxic to dissolve the buildup. One of my favorites for this is called Krud Kutter. You might need to use something like this to get way down into the nooks and crannies. Sometimes, it even needs to be an even harsher chemical, a chisel or hard wire brush to remove the old buildup of gunk. 

    Generally, between sanding phases, you must clean away the debris that is left on your project and the surrounding areas. If you don’t, you are likely to reintroduce some of the old crud and yuck into your finished project. After you clean, your project needs to rest. 

    Occasionally you don’t need to disassemble a piece to restore it, but often the legs need to be removed, the hinges taken off, oiled or replaced. You can get away without doing all that on some projects, but others, need the complete overhaul. I have been lazy on some of these projects, thinking oh nobody will notice the crooked legs, drippy paint, or sticky residue lurking under the table. And they might look okay on the surface… but… I know… 

    It is kind of like when we go to church, and we are relieved because the preacher didn’t preach about the sin we have buried deep within or even the one we are dealing with currently. We think, oh good, I don’t have to deal with that now… but we will have to deal with it eventually. It is probably better to clean out the gunk of our hearts and the roots of bitterness deep down in our souls before we start adding layers of “stuff” onto the surface of our lives. We may look like we have it all together and know how to do the “Christian” life, but are our hearts, our lives, our temples really in need of a good makeover?

    Jesus has already done the prep work for us. He did the impossible work of removing the crud from our hearts through His sacrifice on the cross. He prepares us for His good works and has finished the work by sealing our hearts with the promise of the Holy Spirit.

    Are you starting to see how a trip through Lowes can be a spiritual experience? (and if you are wondering, yes, it is tough to be me who can’t even go into the hardware store without having a sermon preached to me in my head and heart).

    We are going to talk about a few different types of restoration over the next several weeks

    RESTORATION TO OUR ORIGINAL PURPOSE

    What is our original purpose?

    Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over, all the wild animals on the earth…So God created human beings in his own image. Genesis 1
     

    Our original purpose was to be image bearers of Christ and to be caretakers of the Earth and walk and commune with God… in a perfect world. But we know that with one bite of the forbidden fruit, that perfect home was demolished, needing constant restoration ever since. 

    Fortunately, we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us ANEW in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

    I like to think that everything we are doing now is in preparation for what is to come, and Heaven is what is to come. 

    Our Destination is true and complete restoration, life eternal with Jesus Christ.

    “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” I Corinthians 13:12(NLT)

    So, we wait for that day. But in the meantime, there is work to be done, and honestly, I don’t want to live with an old, damaged, ugly, useless spirit. I don’t want to be a fixer upper, I want to be the Restored. So how do we get there? 

    Restoration through Salvation:

    For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins… Romans 3:23-25 NLT

    We know that all of us have sinned. We have all been guilty of damaging our “temples,” our lives, leaving them in a state of disrepair and in need of restoration. God sent his son to be the Master Builder of our lives. He didn’t come to earth to fix up houses which were not flawed, but He came to repair the lives, the souls, and the homes of the broken. And He does not expect us to do the work ourselves. 

    “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV

    We are saved by God’s grace once, we spend the rest of our lives being sanctified and prepared for our eternal home. 

    Have you been distracted from your original design and purpose? What can you do today to move from the demolition stage to being restored? Call unto Him and He will show you great and mighty things.

    Feel free to share your thoughts here and come back next week as we discuss restoring our hearts in communion with God.

    Destination RESToration

    In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.I Peter 5:10 

    Restoration – the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition. 

    I’m a sucker for a good fixer upper show. Sometimes I’ll scroll through shows until I find something that I can mindlessly binge watch while I am doing a project or housework. I saw the title for one, “Restoration Road.” The Host travels the country, observes, records, and helps with various makeover projects. One of the ventures was a neat old barn and flour mill that was disassembled in one part of the country, cleaned up and reassembled in another part of the country as a souvenir and coffee shop. It really was quite fascinating. 

    As I continued to scan the shows, there was another one just called “Restored.” This host, restoration expert Brett Waterman, looked directly into the camera and stated, “I don’t want to make something different out of an old building or home, I want to restore it to its original purpose; Restoration is my passion.” 

    I had to rewind and listen a couple of times to grasp what the host was saying. He didn’t want to make a restaurant out of grain silos, though that’s a unique idea. He didn’t want to make a barn into a wedding venue, though that is quite the trend. He didn’t want to change the structure or footprint of the house or building. His goal is to bring back to life a home or building, restoring it to its original purpose and original beauty. 

    During one of the restoration projects, he was peeling off layers of wallpaper and drywall to reveal beautiful wood underneath. You could hear him exclaiming, “Oh man, oh wow!” He was removing STUFF, some seemingly good, some rotted, but somewhere along the line, it was “stuff” that someone thought would make the house look better or function better, but in reality, it was just covering up the scars, the beauty, and the original purpose of the home.  He was getting excited about the beauty and foundation that was within this old and seemingly run down, dilapidated house. 

    Do you ever feel like an old run-down building, searching for the beauty within? Do you have trouble seeing yourself the way God sees you? Have you just added “stuff” to make yourself look or feel better? Does some of that “stuff” need to be peeled away so the beauty within is revealed? Do you need restoration to your original purpose?  

    I Peter 5:10 says “ …”, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. And I Corinthians 3:10 tells us that foundation is Jesus Christ. “Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. …11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.”

    Over the next several weeks, we will explore the need for and process of restoration and how He is equipped and ready with the tools to make our lives into a masterpiece.

    Something interesting about a fixer upper, the house doesn’t do a thing but stand there. It is an object of the restorer. The house cannot fight back, nor does it have a say in the matter of its design or purpose. Unlike us, it really is an inanimate object. As we are the object of the restorative process, we can fight it, we can try to bend the will of the Master Builder to ours, but the process will yield more exquisite results if we surrender to the One who has the power for true restoration – the act of bringing us back to His original purpose and beauty. 

    My husband’s parents moved many times throughout their lifetime. Sometimes it was to a beautiful new home, but often it was one that needed a lot of TLC. Every time, his mom would say, “This place has potential.” 

    Friends, we are His temple, we are His home, and this place (our hearts) has potential.  

    Today, we need to think like Abraham. We must confidently look forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10

    True restoration is the act of bringing something back to its original purpose.

    Will you let Him do that for you?

    The Freedom of Dependence ~ A Mother’s Day Challenge

    As mothers to be, our sweet babies are 100% dependent on us. He… OR she is encased in our womb and is connected to us by an umbilical cord that serves as a lifeline, providing him or her the lifeblood and nutrition he or she needs to survive. But soon that will change. You see, from the moment their umbilical cords are cut, our children begin their journey to independence. 

    I remember the very first time I laid eyes on my baby girl, I thought, 
    “How could I have ever left my mom and gone away to college; how could I have done that to her?” And, it seems, that in a blink of an eye, one snip of the scissors and my girl was off to college. 

    Through the tears in my eyes, I saw my daughter in the rear-view mirror of my car. The day I left her at college to become a nurse, almost 3,000 miles from home, was one of the hardest days of my life. My precious baby was entering adulthood. She was on a new journey going from being the cared for to being the caretaker. How did that happen so fast? I know I’m not alone in the gaping feelings of a void in my heart, and at the same time rejoicing that my girl reached this amazing milestone. 

    I have pondered the thought over and over: When my goal of raising my children is to teach them to be capable, independent, God-loving people, why is it so hard when they reach that point? Maybe it is because they don’t need me as much anymore, and as a mom, by nature, I am a nurturer. Maybe it is because my children were sitting on the throne of my heart, and God is waiting patiently for me to invite Him to take His rightful place.

    As our children mature, they become less and less dependent on us. And as much as it pains us, we actually want that to happen.  

    But when we become children of God, we are baby Christians, working our way towards total dependence. 

    “Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you, I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger.”  1 Corinthians 3:1-2.

    “The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.”  Lamentations 3:25

    As believers, we willingly attach ourselves to a different kind of umbilical cord, one that provides the life blood we need to survive. 

    But still, we convince ourselves we must work hard for our place as an adopted child of the King, but, Titus 3:5  says,  “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.”

    We strive to  provide for ourselves, but I Chronicles 29:13-14 says , “Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us.”  

    We imagine that being good and following the rules will earn us God’s favor, but  Isaiah 64:6 says “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;.”  By His mercy, though, He has washed us white as snow. 

    We can strive. We can work hard.  We can say all of the right words, but ultimately our dependence on Him is what God desires for us and from us. 

    As we mature as human beings, we become less dependent on our parents; as we mature as children of God, we become more dependent on our Heavenly Father. Fortunately, God our Father is wise, loving, generous and most of all, trustworthy. 

    James 1:17-18 says,” Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

    Sometimes I wonder why God allows me to miss my children (both married and living in different parts of the country) to the point of grief. I want to sit and chat with them about their days, their work, their spouses, what they are having for dinner and how God is working in their lives. I want to be able to hug them and be there for them. I am realizing, it is in that ache, I become more dependent on my Heavenly Father to fill the empty places in my heart. 

    I am coming to understand that He misses me when my heart wanders, when I only give Him snippets of conversation, when I don’t spend time embracing Him as my Father. He desires that sweet parent child relationship with me. He waits patiently for me to come to Him and receive the blessings, the wisdom, and the perfect love that only a perfect parent can give. 

    “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. Matthew 7:9-11

    We have the perfect example of a good parent in our Heavenly Father. He is gracious. He is patient. He is wise. He is loving. He doesn’t mind our ‘why’ questions. He prepares us and equips us for the life He has called us to. He allows us our independence so that we can realize our need for dependence on Him.  

    Sometimes, as parents, it is easy to get into the busyness of all that is required of us. Our children capture our hearts, and we love them with all that is within us. It is easy to sit them right on the throne of our hearts. But the greatest gift you can give to your sweet baby is to love God first and show that love in how you love your spouse, your baby’s daddy or mommy. 

    In having children, you will face your highest highs and lowest lows. You will be tired, no exhausted beyond belief. There will be joy, laughter, challenges, and tears. The only way to survive and thrive is to be strengthened by your Heavenly Father through the spiritual umbilical cord of faith. Become totally and utterly dependent on Him.

    We cannot guarantee how our children will turn out. We cannot climb their mountains or walk through their valleys for them.  However, we must encourage them as they develop independence as human beings, to become dependent children of God. 

    Thank you, Lord, that you are a sovereign and trustworthy parent to me. Help me to honor you by surrendering all to you and becoming completely dependent on you.

    How do you wrestle for independence? Do you struggle with trusting your Heavenly Father? I challenge you to make a choice to lay down control at the foot of the cross. Choose to abide. 

    Listen here and worship with me.

    Abide by Aaron Williams

    Photo Credit YouTube

    Splendor and Majesty ~ Imago Dei

    As water reflects the face,
        so one’s life reflects the heart Proverbs 27:19

    Sitting on my porch swing with a precious little ten-month old, we were swinging, singing, and giggling. When I stopped the swing, my little buddy would look into my eyes and wiggle her little body, willing me to start the swing again.  At one point, I became a little alarmed seeing something red in her eyes. At first, I thought she may have an infection, then I thought it was just part of her eye color I had never noticed before.

    As I gazed into those smiling eyes, I realized what I was seeing was a reflection of myself. My red shirt was perfectly reflected in the dancing eyes of my little friend. 

    I couldn’t take a picture. I could not shout for her mom to come see. I just sat transfixed and fascinated at what I saw in my little friend’s eyes. Me… I had never seen my reflection in anyone’s eyes before.

    The thought took my breath away. When my Heavenly Father looks into my eyes, does He see a reflection of himself? Does he see the clarity of His image, the colors of His creation, the intensity of His love, the abundance of His character? Or does he see a distorted image, maimed by my own self-willed life, covering me like a veil.

    But when someone changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And our faces are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings more and more glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:16-18

    When God created man, he was perfect, created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26-27). Sin clouded that perfect image. Mankind became blind, unable to see the Imago Dei. Jesus, the Light of the World, came to heal the blind and restore our sight.

    As a fifth-grade teacher, I taught about light, light’s necessity for life and growth, reflection, refraction, speed, and spectrum. In the absence of light, we have no brilliant sunsets or sunrises, no reflections of trees on the water, no rainbows reminding us of God’s promises. Without the Light, we cannot see His reflection in our lives. Without the Light, we are completely blind. 

    Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see…” John 9

    My prayer today is that the reflection of God’s image is not just seen in my eyes but in my very soul, through my attitudes and actions, so that I can be a light to all who need to see. And as David prayed, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 17:8 (NIV)

    We are “Made in the Image of God.”

    What does God see when He looks into your eyes?

    Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash

    Teachers, Why We Do What We Do, And a Book Review

    Teacher friends, do you ever wonder why you show up to school every day? Do you wonder why you continue to do what you do? 

    One of my most precious memories of teaching is when my 5th grade class was studying the Christmas story and the lineage of Christ. Mid-lesson, one of my young theologians raised his hand and asked a very serious question. He said, “Mrs. Willis, does it hurt to have a baby?” Momently struck dumb, I said a quick prayer for wisdom, maybe turned a bit pink and proceeded to explain that the pain of childbirth is part of the curse. Hoping that was a good enough explanation for the time being, I attempted to move on to the next part of the lesson. But of course, it was not enough. We needed to discuss blood and breech births, near death experiences, and recoveries. I assured the students that being a mom was worth the pain and most of us make it through childbirth ok… millions of us do every year. 

    The young theologian was never afraid to ask hard questions. And I was happy to answer them. That’s how we learn and grow. He is now married and has a child of his own. He is a teacher now of Greek and theology and has just recently given birth to a different kind of child, his book “Flash Theology.” I don’t think there was any actual blood, but I am sure there was the proverbial “blood, sweat, and tears” as this child was born.  

    I am not sure if Brayden remembers anything he actually learned in 5th grade, but I am honored to have been a part of his foundational learning and am so proud of who he has become. I love to see his passion for learning and teaching God’s truths. I have not read the whole book yet, but I am digging in and loving it!

    So teachers, this is why we do what we do. 

    Splendor and Majesty ~ The Trees of the Field Clap Their Hands

    This is part of a series, Splendor and Majesty, Knowing God Through His Magnificent Creation. This contribution is by my dear sister in Christ, Jessica Hughes. I hope this encourages you to see God throughout your day in His General Revelation of Himself through His creation. 

    I have always loved trees. I was born in Pennsylvania, which literally mean’s Penn’s (William Penn’s) Trees. If you’ve ever been there, there are just so many trees. People out here California) talk about forests, but where I grew up we talk about “the woods”. One of my favorite things as a little girl was to spend my days playing up in the woods behind our house. We lived at the base of a hill called Boulder Hill, which was odd because it had far more trees than boulders. Perhaps they ran out of tree names for hills in such a vastly tree-covered region.

    At the top of Boulder Hill was my best friend’s house, and in the middle of the hill ran a creek amidst the woods. My best friend, Danielle, and I would meet in the middle, splash in that creek, and then hike those woods until we got lost. And then we would slowly wander till we found our way out again, usually just in time to part ways and head home for dinner. We climbed old sturdy trees and made tree houses among the wide, lofty branches. We snapped off old dead limbs to make “log cabins” (usually more like a 6 inch high perimeter of a cabin because young minds bore quickly). We bent young spry twigs to create romantic leafy archways along our footpaths. And we sat on stumps for many a tea party. 

    Naturally I am drawn to the way God talks about trees in Scripture. In Isaiah 55 the trees of the field clap their hands in joy. In Psalm 1, people are pictured like trees planted by a river, they nourished and strengthened as they drink up the Lord’s laws and meditate on them. Something fascinating about trees you may or may not know – did you know you can tell how old a tree is by counting its rings? And did you know you can tell how rainy the different years of that tree’s life were by how wide or narrow the rings are? In seasons where the tree receives much water, it grows fast and the rings are narrower. And in seasons where there is drought, the rings are wider. These seasons are necessary for the tree to be strong. It needs seasons of speedy growth where it becomes taller and bears a lot of fruit. And it also needs seasons that are quiet and slower, so that its wood can solidify and become stronger.

    In one of my favorite books, outside of the Bible, Green Letters by Miles Stanford, the author quotes A. H. Strong telling this story, “A student asked the President of his school whether he could not take a shorter course than the one prescribed. ‘Oh yes,’ replied the President, ‘but then it depends upon what you want to be. When God wants to make an oak, He takes an hundred years, but when He wants to make a squash, He takes six months.’ Strong also wisely points out to us that ‘growth is not a uniform thing in the tree or in the Christian. In some single months there is more growth than in all the year besides. During the rest of the year, however, there is solidification, without which the green timber would be useless. The period of rapid growth, when woody fiber is actually deposited between the bark and the trunk, occupies but four to six weeks in May, June, and July.’ “

    I wonder sometimes what my rings would look like if I were a tree. I think mountaintop experience after mountaintop experience might be a refreshing season with rich rains. In my teen years especially I think I had many of these. The rings were probably narrow as the years zipped by, but how I grew tall and was eager to produce spiritual fruit in my life. But then have come the valleys, and oh there have been many valleys. The rains were a little more spread out, and I wondered at times how long until the Lord would grant me rain again.

    Like David wandering in the wilderness of Judah, I have said in my heart, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1-2). But it’s there that my rings become wider and stronger. The dry valleys are a time of revealing whether what I learned up in the mountains has taken root in my heart.

    Stanford also writes in Green Letters, “In that the Husbandman’s method for true spiritual growth involves pain as well as joy, suffering as well as happiness, failure as well as success, inactivity as well as service, death as well as life, the temptation to shortcut is especially strong unless we see the value of and submit to the necessity of the time element; in simple trust resting in His hands, ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform until the day of Jesus Christ’ (Phil. 1:6). And, dear friends, it will take that long! But since God is working for eternity, why should we be concerned about the time involved? …’So often in the battle,’ says Austin-Sparks, ‘we go to the Lord , and pray, and plead, and appeal for victory, for ascendancy, for mastery over the forces of evil and death, and our thought is that in some way the Lord is going to come in with a mighty exercise of power and put us into a place of victory and spiritual ascendancy as in an act. We must have this mindset corrected.”

    He does lead us to the valleys sometimes. It’s not by chance, it’s by design. Because He knows that we need wide rings too. I get impatient with the Lord and have thrown my fits that He didn’t pull me out of those valleys as quickly as I’d like. I’m learning to appreciate that He does all things in His time. He is God, He does it His way. In the theme of trees, Ezekiel says it this way, “And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 17:24).

    In my driest valleys is when I’ve truly come to understand who is the Lord, and who I am. And just to be clear, this is love. He doesn’t send us into dry seasons or valleys for entertainment or out of harshness. He tenderly walks with us through those seasons, with His glory and our joy in the forefront of His mind. He knows where the still waters and green pastures are, we need only to trust Him and continue faithfully at His side.

    So, what would you look like as a tree? What would be the pattern of your rings? If you’re in a season where the rings are needing some widening, be patient with the Lord and don’t fight Him for that time (preaching to myself here). And if you’re in a season of frequent rains and narrow rings, praise the Lord! May your fruit be ever abundant in this time.

    You can read more of Jessica’s blog here; jessmhughes.blogspot.com

    If you are in a dry season and would like prayer, please feel free to email me at soulwater@kerilynnwillis.com. Also check back regularly for more refreshing waters or sign up to receive some Soul Water right in your in box.

    Did Mary Know?

    Surrendering to God’s Sovereignty

    Have you ever struggled with God’s sovereignty? We want to believe we have faith enough to know God’s will is the best plan. But saying we believe in God’s sovereignty and living like we do are vastly different.

    I had the opportunity to grow in this area recently. My husband needs eye surgery. After the surgery, he will have to lay on his face for a week and not be able to fly for a month. The problem with his eye was appearing to worsen, and surgery was scheduled for the week before Christmas. When I heard the news, I felt myself sinking into a mirey pit. Not because my husband needed the surgery (we already knew that it was coming), but that it would have to be right before Christmas, canceling our plans to go to Virginia to be with our kids for the holidays. 

    Trying to be reasonable, I prayed, I asked friends to pray, and I told God just what I thought about this obnoxious surgery ruining MY plans. I let the worry and anxiety of not being able to see my kids steal the joy right out of Advent, the time I should be preparing my heart for celebrating the miraculous birth of our Savior. I woke up on the morning of the pre-op appointment wrestling with God. There was no use hiding my feelings from Him; He knew I wanted to be with my kids and was frustrated that our plans may be canceled. He knew my heart was hurting. After repeating my prayer and realizing I sounded like a broken record or a whiny child, it dawned on me that He really did have my best interest in mind, that He is sovereign, that all this wrestling was just wearing me out. I was able to finally pray, not my will but yours be done. 

    He wanted me to hand over what I was so tightly clinging to, something I really had no control over anyway. When I surrendered to His sovereignty, the tension and anxiety started to drain away. Faith is the absence of fear. Peace is the absence of panic. 

    We have many examples, in scripture, of saints asking for their will but surrendering to God’s will instead. Paul asked for the ‘thorn in his flesh’ to be removed. Jonah had to be in the belly of a great fish for three days before deciding to be obedient. Even Jesus asked, “If it be your will, let this cup pass from me, yet not my will but yours be done.” One of the most meaningful examples of surrendering to God’s sovereignty is written in Luke, chapter one.

    Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; [e]blessed are you among women!”

    29 But [f]when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

    34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I [g]do not know a man?”

    35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

    Then Mary said,“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”  And the angel departed from her.

    An angel appeared to Mary and told her that she had been chosen of all the women on earth to bear the Christ child, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. All she would have to do was give up her reputation, become an unwed mother, endure scorn for being an unwed mother. We don’t know how long the conversation really went on. If I was Mary, it would have been a long conversation, because I want to have all my ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions answered. But Mary asked a couple of questions and then replied with one of the most powerful statements recorded in the Bible, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” 

    What if Mary would have said “Heck no, get out of my house Gabriel.”? What if she would have let fear overtake her faith? What if she had wrestled with the angel instead of surrendering to the sovereign will of God? We would still have a Savior. Mary still may have been his earthly mother. But oh, what a blessing she would have missed out on if she would not have opened her heart and said “Let it be to me according to your word.”

    About 40 years ago, Mark Lowery wrote a song for a church program that has gained great popularity in the past several years. His normal jovial self considered the question if Mary really knew what she was getting herself into when she agreed to carry the Christ-child. The song, “Mary Did You Know,” asks the wondrous and the devastating. Did Mary know that when she kissed the face of her baby, she was kissing the face of God? Did she know he would die to save all mankind from their sin?

    God does not often reveal his future plans for our lives, because it would be too overwhelming and heartbreaking to take in unless He had prepared us for that moment in our lives. Mary, however, did have the benefit of knowing the prophecies in Isaiah about the Messiah. 


    Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

    For unto us a Child is born,
    Unto us a Son is given;
    And the government will be upon His shoulder.
    And His name will be called
    Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

    In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book,
    And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. Isaiah 29:18

    I offered my back to those who beat me
        and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.
    I did not hide my face
        from mockery and spitting. Isaiah 50:6

    He is despised and [d]rejected by men,
    A Man of     [e]sorrows and acquainted with [f]grief.
    And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
    He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

    4 Surely He has borne our [g]griefs
    And carried our     [h]sorrows;
    Yet we     [i]esteemed Him stricken,
    [j]Smitten by God, and afflicted.
    5 But He was wounded    [k] for our transgressions,
    He was     [l]bruised for our iniquities;
    The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
    And by His stripes    [m] we are healed.
    6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
    We have turned, every one, to his own way;
    And the Lord     [n]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

    7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
    Yet He opened not His mouth;
    He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
    And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    So He opened not His mouth.
    8 He was taken from     [o]prison and from judgment,
    And who will declare His generation?
    For He was cut off from the land of the living;
    For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

    Isaiah 53:3-8

    So, chances are, Mary did know. She most likely knew the joy and heartbreak that was prophesied, in Isaiah, of the life… and death of the Messiah. Her precious baby boy was going to change the world. He was going to bring great joy and suffer great pain and anguish. He was going to bear the sins of all mankind.  And she still said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

    During this season, we try so hard to make things just right. Sometimes, it seems like the harder we work to make the perfect holiday, the more disappointment comes from unmet expectations. We try to buy the right present, prepare the right food, sing the right songs, decorate to our hearts’ content. I love to do all the above, but if I am missing the reason for the celebration, I am missing the greatest blessing of all. He came so that we might have life, life more abundant. His ways are better than my ways and surrendering to His sovereignty is the greatest gift I can give Him for His birthday. 

    Dear Sovereign Father, 

    Please help me to keep my eyes fixed on you. Help me to not hold onto my earthly dreams and plans so tightly that I snuff out the blessings your sovereignty, even through pain, will bring. Thank you that 2000 years ago, Mary was joyful in obedience to your will and gave birth to the Christ child who would be our Savior. Thank you for the gift of salvation through your Son, Jesus. 

    In His Precious Name, Amen.

    I pray you all have a blessed Christmas season, remembering why we celebrate the birth Jesus. And by the way, my husband’s surgery was postponed until January. Thanks, in advance, for your prayers.

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