Hammer on Anvil '

You are either walking in a storm, coming out of the storm or about to go into a storm. There are no exceptions. Loving the Lord will not make hurts go away. If you were told this, you were lied to.

Last week my heart was broken for several of my friends in the midst of epic, raging storms. I stood in the middle of my own storm and prayed that the God of peace would wrap His arms around them and I prayed they would stand strong in hope and walk boldly in faith. I prayed that they would continue to put their trust in God the Father, because He will never violate their trust.

The next morning my Twin called to give me an update on his absurd storm. He then turned what could have easily been a whine-a-thon back into praise for the Lord and His endless provision. He didn't call to simply update, he called to spur me on with the Word of God. He had read that morning in his devotion that God doesn't walk away from us, nor does He always spare us from hurts. In Isaiah 43:2 it says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Notice friends, God does not say you won't have to go through those places - He simply says that He will be with you and those things will not destroy you. You still gotta go through it, though.

I needed to hear that, and what a joy it was to hear it from a dear friend who was in the middle of a storm too. That is what we call a testimony! I thanked him for the timely word and we praised God that He is there to give us all a place to stand when we feel things are falling apart. My Twin, knowing my love of nerdy cult movie references, said, "Yes, it's like that scene in Indiana Jones. Remember? He had to step down, walk by faith, but just as it looked like he was about to fall, a place was provided to stand." That's how God works, friends. We need to step out in faith and trust the Lord that regardless of how scary things seem, He is there for you, providing exactly what is needed. It might be an invisible bridge, but, sweetie, it's still there. It's your choice to take the next step.

When I hung up the phone, I wiped my tears and my son, Indiana Jones (I know), says, "Geez, that was dramatic." I love how God always provides a bit of humor with the hurts. I hugged my son and I then pulled out the Indiana Jones movies and watched that amazing scene again. Friends, as my Dad would say, "That'll preach."

Today, be encouraged you are not alone. God is with you. You keep walking in faith, pray for His peace and trust in God, because He loves you. Life doesn't make sense and this world is real mean, but what you need has already been provided. If you can't see that, take the focus away from the hurt and turn your eyes back to the Lord. Pray with me that whatever happens, we will learn to be content and we will continue to trust our Father. I love you, friends. Be encouraged and keep walking in faith.

Since last Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. day, I was privileged to be able to stay home and watch our president's inauguration. Soon after it was over, though, I was grieved to read what Mark Driscoll tweeted about Barack Obama.

Driscoll, the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, is not new to controversy. He shoots his mouth off like a loaded gun. Regrettably, though, his tirades are not prophetic in nature, nor do they expound biblical truths -- both of which sometimes land Christians in hot water. Unfortunately, his tweet about our president was everything you would NOT expect a minister of the gospel to say:

"Praying for our president, who today will place his hands on a Bible he does not believe to take an oath to a God he likely does not know."

I almost couldn't believe it when I saw it in print; I had to do a double-take. Tragically, what I thought I saw is what the man actually said. My heart sank. It is unconscionable to say you are praying for the president, when in the same breath you make such a horrific accusation.

I am aware that people get wacky about politics, particularly when someone gets voted into office whom they don't like. It never ceases to amaze me how my Christian brothers and sisters fall for things like conspiracy theories, and even send them on in e-mails. Someone in my own family once told me she was horrified that Obama had his hand on the Koran when he was sworn into office four years ago! I quickly set her straight on that one. And last week when he was sworn into office, our president had his hand on two Bibles -- one used by Abraham Lincoln, and the other by Martin Luther King, Jr. No Koran, thank you very much.

We are all entitled to our own opinions, of course. But ministers of the gospel have a higher calling. James 3:1 says, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." A minister of the gospel should have a narrow focus, as did Paul when he said, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Tweeting something that dishonors the president brings shame to Christ.

When my husband and I saw Barack Obama in Independence four years ago when he was on the campaign trail, the last thing he said was, "Pray for me. I need your prayers." He also told about when he came to know Jesus Christ. This was not some vague testimony about someone "knowing God." He talked about Jesus. Have his actions always illustrated his profession of faith? No. But neither have mine. The point is that we are all fallen, broken people. But when someone tells about their relationship with Jesus, how dare I (or anyone else) question that person's sincerity? God is the only one who sees the hearts of men.

We, as believers in Jesus, are to pray "for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:2). Whether we approve of who is in office or not, it is our duty to pray for our president. When someone openly criticizes someone in leadership, one thing is obvious: they have not been praying for him. Mark Driscoll went the way of the world rather than holding up the higher standard of a minister of the gospel. I pray he repents and apologizes to the president personally.

Texas drivers are crazy.  I’m not exaggerating; it’s a fact.  I have been to 42 states and the drivers in Texas are, without a doubt, the worst.  When I first moved to Texas a year ago, I thought that turn signals were the only problem.  I honestly don’t think they know what the turn signals’ purpose is, because they change lanes like children on a playground, with virtually no warning as to which way they’ll go next.

 

But then I learned that turn signals were only the beginning.  Texas drivers battle in traffic as if it is an Olympic sport and a single car length may be all that separates them from the Gold.  There will be a line of cars in the passing lane steadily moving along, and then one car will jet over to the right lane, slam on the accelerator until he is riding the bumper of the next car in front of him, and then bully his way back into the passing lane (without signaling).  I’ve even see people get frustrated because they weren’t able to bully their way back to the passing lane, so they took to the shoulder instead.

 

It.  Is.  Frustrating.

 

I’ve found myself getting pulled into this culture in a way I don’t like.  Don’t worry, I still use signals and I’m not driving on the shoulder.  But I’ve started to take some perverse pleasure in foiling the plans of the impatient idiots.  I’ll see one of them in the mirror doing about 90 in the right lane, so I’ll close the gap with the car in front of me.  With nowhere else to go, their only choices are to wait and merge in behind me or be an even bigger tool than they’ve already been and drive on the shoulder.  And if one of these speed demons does merge behind me, I’ll sometimes purposefully linger a bit when passing the next car.

 

Alright, alright!  Stop judging me!  I know this is wrong and I’m confessing!

 

It hit me the other day that I’m trying to fight fire with fire.  If people who are angry meet other people who are angry, it just adds fuel to their frustration.  (Insert Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”)  If everyone in Texas starting acting the way I have, the driving culture would only get worse.  To change this negative culture, it is going to take an even larger culture of patient people who are unwilling to be sucked into the madness.

 

The Christian faith is like traffic in that way.  We’re being swept along in this current of cars called the American culture and it is changing us.  We have our driver’s manual (the Bible) and we know how we ought to drive, but the overwhelming culture surrounds us and the manual is just a little book tucked away in the glove box.  The flow adjusts and we feel we have no choice but to adjust right along with it.  But maybe, just maybe, if we calm down, remember what the manual says and act on it, a few of the cars around us might see that our way is a better way to drive.

 

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23

 

Lastly, please enjoy this video.  The perverse pleasure side of me thinks this SUV is a hero.

Matthew 25:37... Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 The King replied, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Give. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 Jesus came to “proclaim good news to the poor…to proclaim freedom for the prisoners…set the oppressed free.” (Luke 4) Amen!

And He calls EVERY Christian to the same kind of radical giving. 


¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

When I was a kid and went to Vacation Bible School, we used to sing a song titled "God's Still Working on Me." The words are simple, but still ring true:

Made this after my own G.I. JOE moment.

"He is still working on me
to make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars,
the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.
Oh, how loving and patient He must be,
cause He is still working on me."

Last Wednesday I had a party. No invitations were extended, and I was the only person in attendance. Why? Because it was a pity party. Not a pretty sight, to be sure. I cried off and on the entire day, and then unloaded on my long-suffering husband when he got home from work.

Isaiah would be empathetic with my plight, I think. In chapter 6 of his book, he "saw the Lord," and was completely undone. In fact, he's pretty sure he's going to die right then and there, because he has beheld the face of God. But an angel quickly assures him, "Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Isaiah then hears God ask, "Whom shall I send?" and he eagerly responds, "Here am I! Send me!" This is where I start identifying with Isaiah, and why I think he would be empathetic. When Isaiah volunteered for service, he may have taken for granted that because of this experience with God (e.g., the angel touching his mouth with a live coal), his subsequent ministry would be fruitful beyond his wildest dreams. It may have been a blow to his ministerial ego when God explains that the mission He is sending him on isn't nearly so glamorous:

"Go and say to this people, 'Keep on hearing but do not understand; keep on seeing but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed" (Isaiah 6:9,10).

That's kind of a downer when you think God has some splendid ministry in store. Instead of restoring the Israelites to God, Isaiah is warned that his message will be rejected to the point that the Israelites will be even less spiritual than before! His response is, "How long, O Lord?" You can almost hear the dejectedness in his voice.

That, in a nutshell, was the nature of my pity party. Yes, I know ministry is messy, and normally I am able to rise above it and go on. But sometimes it makes me almost physically ill. I get sick of people who claim they want to be discipled, but who really don't -- because then they might have to change how they live. Or people who are in desperate financial straits, but would rather live off the contributions of others than be accountable about their finances. Or people who get angry at me when I expound some Bible truth, because they think God should bend His standards of holiness to suit their particular prejudices.

If you've been in ministry very long, you can probably echo these sentiments. But God encouraged me the very next day. I was at the local blood center donating platelets, which generally takes about 90 minutes. The seats are wonderfully comfortable, and everyone has their own personal TV with headphones. But since I would rather put a sharp stick in my eye than watch daytime television, I brought along J.I. Packer's Hot Tub Religion. In a section where he lists mistakes Christians often make in ministry, he writes:

We who speak for Christ today must be prepared to find that what we say is disregarded and we are laboring with little or no visible success. Like Isaiah, we are called to be faithful, not necessarily fruitful. Faithfulness is our business; fruitfulness is an issue that we must be content to leave with God. God's Word will not return to Him completely void, we know, but we must be willing not to see the fruits of it ourselves, or at least not immediately. Visible success in the form of instant results is not guaranteed in Christian ministry, neither for you nor for me.

That, my dear friends, is the encouragement we need to hold tightly to when the enemy tries to discourage us and we are tempted to throw in the towel. As long as you are walking in obedience and faithfulness, you are not responsible for how others perceive you or react to you. In fact, if you are truly following Jesus, you will meet opposition -- oftentimes from other believers.

This week, take time to meditate on Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

And if part of your pity party stems from feeling woefully inadequate -- as mine did -- consider these wise words:

"Spirituality isn't about being finished and perfect; spirituality is about trusting God in our unfinishedness." (from Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli).

Many of you know that I am now working as a flight instructor as I build flight hours in order to get hired by an airline.  What you may not know is that my students are Chinese.  China has explosive growth in the airline industry, but their general aviation infrastructure (i.e. smaller airports and smaller airplanes) is virtually non-existent.  Since student pilots need to learn to fly in small planes before they move onto the larger planes, America is a better training environment for them.

Hello people! I am so pumped to join this amazing group of Christian bloggers at Hammer on Anvil. These Jesus-loving folks have entertained, challenged, and comforted me through each and every post I've read. I love Jesus-people. And I love Jesus, people! You will get to know a lot more about me (like it or not) with every post. Hopefully, I don't scare anyone off with my sarcasm, frankness, or cussing rebel ways. I promised not to cuss. Not even the 'nice' cuss words. Christians and their rules (said with a shaking fist)!

Without further ado...

Re-posted from August 8, 2011.

What would you do if you suddenly found $100,000?  Spend it?  Invest it?  Pay for college?

Good evening everyone! I haven't blogged in a few weeks because honestly, I forgot to! Wow the enemy knows how to distract you from doing God's work!

It is a new year! For many that brings thoughts of new beginnings, fresh starts. But one thing that sticks out in my mind is that God's mercies are new everyday. When He wakes us up, He gives us another chance to get it right. To serve Him with ALL that we have. To give everything over to Him. To trust Him completely. I made a list of things I wanted to do this year, not really resolutions, but things that I am going to work on for the reat of my life. At the top of the list, to grow closer to God. I truly want to live my life for Him and no one else. No one has been there for me like He has. He has seen me through some of the darkest times of my life. He continues to bless me every second of everyday. I am just so grateful to Him for ALL He has done for me.

Turn your life over to God and see what happens!!!
Have a very blessed night everybody! Love you all!!!
Cheryl

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

In the wake of recent tragedies in the United States, a trend has risen which we have seen before. It has come in many different incarnations over the years, but it all comes down to the same concept: do something unexpected and beneficial for someone you've never met. A Random Act of Kindness.

In 2000, Warner Brothers made a film starring Hayley Joel Osment called "Pay It Forward". It was the story of an elementary school boy who decided to start a Random Act of Kindness movement after receiving a challenging assignment from his teacher (played by Kevin Spacey) to change the world. It was a wonderful movie with a heart-wrenching ending, but the "pay it forward movement" has been something that has stayed in the back of my mind since then.

How would our world change if we put together the command from Jesus above with the 'pay it forward movement"? Jesus essentially tells His disciples to pay forward the message of salvation in Jerusalem (their hometown), all Judea (their own country), Samaria (the neighboring nation) and to the end of the earth. What if He meant that literally? How would our view of this verse shift if we took it literally? 

Each and every Christian is a missionary. From the time you say yes to God, you are His disciple AND His witness. The best way we witness the goodness, the otherness, of God is to wear external evidence that He has changed our hearts. The best place to do that is our own hometown-the place people know us for who we have been. If every one of us reached out in our own church, a few hundred people would be changed. As those few hundred reached out into the community at large, a few thousand people would be changed. And so on, and so on...

This clip from Pay It Forward really puts the whole thing in perspective. Hope you enjoy!

On Sunday I woke up, ate some cereal, had some coffee, talked to my husband, snuggled the kiddos. It was a basic Sunday morning. Doug leaves early to help run the soundboard for worship, so I sauntered around getting laundry put up and getting clean clothes for the kids. I felt pretty good. I had the average "It's January" sinus funk, but I felt good. By 9, however, the funk turned to pressure and that pressure quickly turned into a full-blown ocular migraine. Or, as I like to call them, Special Ops: Cancel Your Plans.

Seriously though, I see these black dots and my vision just goes all fuzzy. It's absolutely maddening, not to mention painful. Combine that with extreme sensitivity, and sheesh -- I am a basket case.

All this happened about an hour before church, so I called and tried to find a replacement for my nursery shift and then prepared the kiddos that not only would church not be an option, but it would have to be a quiet day around the house. Balled up on the couch, I explained, "Mommy has a real nasty headache. I am so sorry, but I can't drive and Daddy has already left for church. We are going to have to stay here." I tried to console my sad kiddos, but my head felt like it was darn near ready to explode. The kids were awesome and, like always, very thoughtful about my stupid migraine. And then I sat back, took the tiny pill (that without insurance I could not afford), and waited for relief.

At this point, while I waited, I felt like an ultimate failure. When a migraine hits, especially an ocular one, I have to stop my day, cancel my plans, take horrific but desperately needed medication and just wait. I have been dealing with migraines for 20 years now and I still don't have an answer. It just happens, they say. It just hurts, I complain. So why do I make myself feel worse about a situation there is essentially nothing I can do about? Because the church I went to as a kid told me if I really loved Jesus, I would never be sick.

Now, I know that's not true, but that was the popular belief in churches for a while. Ah yes, I give you 1990's Midwest mega church theology: You are successful at everything when you love Jesus. You will never be sick, have financial problems, or deal with life - If you really love Jesus. So clearly, my migraines, and depression, or my sweet mother and her heartbreaking MS (and everyone else I know that deals with something) are results of our not loving Jesus enough. I believe this propaganda has been going on for decades, but it really started to reek havoc with the Prayer of Jabez movement. Oh man, that book. What a bunch of bantha poodoo. Regardless of how ridiculous it was, believers clung to it.

What am I saying? Every time I had a migraine, or someone was diagnosed with something, or someone struggled with depression, they were to be brought before the church and told that if they wanted to be healed they needed to believe/love/honor God more. Now, friends, I believe God wants to heal you, but I also know sometimes in life you just have to deal with being human. So at church, forget about boasting in your weakness; you straight-up feared being outed for being weak. You were shamed for not loving God enough, or shamed because God didn't love you enough. And don't bother following through with doctors' orders; that just means you don't trust the Lord. I was told literally that taking my preventative medication or avoiding things that triggered my migraines was "not fully trusting in God." I was called out for hurting and called out for seeking help. I began to completely hate myself for something I should have just learned to deal with - Yes, I have migraines. Yes, I take medicine to help. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes I just have to deal. It sucks, but it is not the end of the world. Aside from the very few and most terrifying treatments available, I don't have an actual choice. I just have migraines.

I wish I would have had the confidence to contradict their crazy. I wish I could have simply said to the  leaders that, "It rains on the just and the unjust alike" (Matthew 5:45). I wish I could have known that "boasting in your weakness" (2 Corinthians 11:30) is really just saying, "Yeah, I have faults, but look at what God is doing!"

If I could have just dealt with the fact I had some issues and then let God give me the peace, grace and healing to deal, I would have been a much happier person a long time ago.

Now, I can say, Yeah, I am sickly, depressed and awkward some days, but look how God is working in my life anyway. Migraines are not really what I would call a weakness; they are a physical condition that leaves me feeling weak. They don't define me; they are just something I deal with. It has nothing to do with how much I love my Savior or how much the Savior loves me. In the scheme of things, these little annoyances really aren't that bad. God gives me what I need when I need to deal with it. God gives me peace. He gives me rest. He restores my heart and my head when I feel it might explode. He provides doctors and grants them wisdom, and has even given my husband a job with insurance to help pay for my medicine when I need it. Although I might deal with this from time to time, oh friends, I am thankful, joyful and at peace. I know God is moving in my life and I know His healing will come in time.

Right now, you may be dealing with scary medical decisions -- things way more serious than my annoying migraines. You might be dealing with looming depression, an intense self-harm issue, or  perhaps a stifling addiction. Friends, you may be dealing with sin that feels like it may consume you.  Believer or not, you still will have something to deal with in life. It may be huge and frightening, or it may be simply having to be compassionate to stupid people, but whatever it is you can go to God with your request. It matters to God, because it matters to you. You can pray for peace, guidance and help while dealing, and I hope you do, but it won't change the fact you are human. We all have to deal with life. God makes it easier, yes; but He won't always take it away, and especially not simply because we claim it. Believers, let's pretend life is like that game show with Howie Mandel, except here your choice is to deal OR deal. You can love Jesus wholeheartedly, but that will not excuse you from being part of a yucky and mostly unfair world.

Friends, if you have fallen victim to this tragedy that was a religious popular belief, I want your faith to be restored. Loving Jesus will not stop bad things from happening. You will still have health issues. Your AC or heater might go out. Your car might break down. You will still have to pay taxes on stuff you don't support. Laws will be made whether or not they work for you. People you don't like will be elected and more than likely you will deal with real mean people daily, some of whom will claim to love Jesus. Bad things happen to people who love Jesus, just as it does to people who don't. The difference is how we respond. How are you going to act when bad things happen to you?

Don't let bad things make you grumpy. God is still in control.

Today I encourage you to go to God with your problems, your fears, your hopes, and your thanksgiving. Remember to, "Cast your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

I'd like you, if you can, to listen to one of my favorite bands from the 90s. It's ska and it's silly, but this song reminded me, during a time I needed it most, that Jesus cares for me like no one else. Let's bring our worries and hurts before the Lord. Let's deal with what we have been given. Let's dance and rejoice, regardless of what we need to deal with, because our Heavenly Father cares for us. And please, let's send that "Name it and Claim it" jargon back to the baggage claim where it belongs.

The title sounds like some horror flick, doesn't it? Unfortunately, though, it is not make-believe. All of us carry in our physical bodies this "restless evil" that is full of deadly poison. It is called a tongue.

What's so bad about the tongue, you may ask? If it weren't for our tongues, we wouldn't be able to taste and enjoy food. Without our tongues, we would not be able to speak. Speaking, however, is one of our major problems as believers:

No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing (James 3:8-10).

I am so guilty of this. I can begin my day worshiping God and reading His Word, and an hour later be lambasting the driver in front of me for not using his turn signal. Really? I curse a fellow human being, who is created in God's image, just because he or she doesn't drive the way I think they should? Sadly, yes...that is exactly what I do.

Another scenario is one I unfortunately witnessed in church recently. Immediately following the service, which had included wonderful worship and a powerful message, I overheard a woman loudly talking about a man who had fallen off the wagon and began drinking again after a time of sobriety. What made it particularly egregious is that the man in question also attends our church. He and the woman with the big mouth both attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. So besides grieving God with her mouth, this woman was also violating the confidentiality code of A.A. by airing someone else's dirty laundry for all to see.

James laments that all kinds of animals can be tamed, but that nobody can tame the tongue. It is something we must all do for ourselves. Nobody else can keep us from shooting off our mouths. We must realize the gravity of our sin, repent of it, and ask God to purify our hearts. Psalm 19:14 is a good Scripture to pray every morning:

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Throughout the day, we must be diligent to take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. When we are tempted to gossip or to be critical or complaining, we need to remember Matthew 12:36: "On the day of judgement, people will give account for every careless word they speak." Yikes. Every careless word. I don't know about you, but I am going to have to account for a LOT.

As we begin this new year, let us endeavor to build each other up in our most holy faith (Jude 1:20). Also remember Ephesians 4:29: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Grace. What a different world it would be if we all tried to impart grace to those around us every day. Let's begin today.

Something occurred to me the other day.  I was thinking about jobs.  More specifically, I was thinking about the fact that technological advances continually cause people to lose their jobs to machines.  It stands to reason, then, that a time will come in the future when no one will need to work because machines will do all of the work for us.  As I started to think about what a society like that would look like, I realized that it will never happen.  Why?  Because we will always want more.

 

Think about all of the technological advances that have occurred in the past 200 years alone.  Light bulbs.  Automobiles.  Radio.  Airplanes.  Computers.  Satellites.  The list goes on and on.

 

Now imagine if people had today’s technology 200 years ago.  They would have been thrilled beyond measure.  They undoubtedly could have used today’s technology to do every job that existed in that time period.  They could have lived the same quality of life – probably much better – and not needed to work at all.

 

So why don’t we do that?  Why don’t we stop doing our current jobs and just build self-sufficient mega-machines that will meet our needs so we won’t have to work?  The answer is quite simple; we will always want more.  Our desire for more defines us as human beings.  Every single one of us wants something that we do not currently have.  On top of that, we’re inventing things that we didn’t even know we wanted.  Two hundred years ago, people lived just fine without television, but now we want high def, blu-ray, and satellite with 200+ channels.

 

John D. Rockefeller, the richest man America has ever known (if you adjust for inflation, he would be worth more that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet combined), was once asked “How much is enough?”  His reply?  “Just a little more.”

 

King Solomon of the Bible was the Rockefeller of his time.  He was rich beyond measure, yet all his wealth could not bring him happiness.  In Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, he wrote,

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.  My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.  Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

 

So where does it stop?  It’s really up to you, but the Bible has a lot to say on the subject.  Basically, as Christians, we are called to want more of only one thing – God.  Everything else is simply an extension of His creation.  When Christ says that we cannot serve both God and money (see Matthew 6:24), he is also saying that we cannot serve both the Creator and the creation.  Instead of amassing earthly wealth and possessions, Christ tells us to store up treasures in Heaven (see Matthew6:19-21).

 

Paul learned this lesson of contentment in God.  You know that verse about being able to do all things through Christ?  That verse is about contentment.

 

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  -- Philippians 4:11b-13

 

It ultimately comes down to where we place our trust (wealth or God) and where we find our joy (wealth or God).  Each of us should continually examine our priorities to see if our source of trust and joy is the right one.

 

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  -- Matthew 6:21

Listening to Christian radio, hearing testimonies of people touched by God, and sometimes even attending Sunday worship can leave the wrong impression on a person. As I drove in to my office today, I kept hearing the same message: your relationship with God cleanses you and takes away your troubles. While I believe that nothing in this world can cleanse you like God's forgiveness, I think the Christian world does a disservice to unbelievers by pushing the message that your sins go away and your life is filled with joy and happiness ever after.

I am a 15-year follower of God. I am a Sunday school teacher, a youth worker, and, I hope, a woman after God's heart. Despite all these things, I still have pain. I still suffer sorrow, hurt, and loss. I struggle with guilt over my sin, and laziness in my relationship with God. Some days, I still crawl out of bed desperately hoping I could just make it through the day. God's love, mercy and grace covers all this, but it doesn't take it away.

I heard part of a speech by Beth Moore this morning that went something like this: "Once you've experienced God's hand touching your life, making you someone you could never be on your own, nothing is important enough to risk that. Nothing illicit, nothing worldly is worth coming before Him." As I listened to this, I found myself thinking, "If that's the case, why do I keep finding things that seem to be able to do just that?" Toby Mac sang, "I was made to love You" this morning, and my inner response was, "If that's the case, why is it so hard to do?"

I think it's only fair to be truthful to people I want to see come to Jesus, and this is the hard truth. First, accepting God's gift of forgiveness and being adopted into His family does not fix you. Second, following Jesus is the most difficult thing you will ever do, if you do it right. It means removing things from your life that will trail behind you like toilet paper stuck to your foot. It means committing and re-committing your life to Him; sometimes with a, "Good morning, God...I need you this morning", and sometimes on your knees because you've wandered away again. Satan will use your past against you at every opportunity. It requires a passionate pursuit that takes up your whole self. A relationship with God demands surrender of your desires, your marriage, your family, your job...everything you are to His control. Anyone who believes that is easy will be in for a rude awakening.

Just as I was about to give up on the Christian radio this morning, I heard something a little different. God heard my questions, and He responded with exactly what I needed to hear. I want to share the song that God wrote for me just for this morning. Maybe He wrote it for you, too.

A few nights ago my six-year-old daughter, Missouri, came to me and asked if I had already thought of my costume for Halloween. Oh man. It's days after Christmas, friends, and my darling daughter is already planning for her next favorite holiday. She told me she was thinking of doing a costume that was "inspiring." Seriously - inspiring? What a weirdo. Holding back a chuckle, I asked, "Oh, like Susan B. Anthony?"

 "Uh. No. Like Bethany Hamilton. And since you don't know who you'll be yet, you can be the shark. You have those shark pj's now. You can be the shark and we can make surf things and then tape my arm down."

Well, that was unexpected.

Sometimes things don't turn out quite the way we pictured or planned. Bethany Hamilton can testify to that while she tells her story of strength and determination. Sure, a shark ate her arm - but Bethany's story didn't end there. With relentless gumption, Bethany not only learned how to surf with one arm, she became a professional surfer, winning first place in national tournaments! That girl is inspiring. Perhaps tacky shark footie pj's and a taped down kiddo is not the best homage, but maybe to my sassy six-year-old it is an inspiring reminder that a sad story doesn't have to end there. To most kids, regardless of the hurt and horror, there is always hope. That's childlike faith, friends.

I am turning 31 this year. I remember a time when that sounded real old, but as I sit here, comfy and cozy in my cute (and real messy) house, I realize that getting older has been, well, really good for me. Sure, I hurt in places I didn't know I had places, but jeepers, I am happy. Oh, friends, it has not always been this way. If you want to hear stories of my hurts you can read my personal blog, http://awfulappealing.blogspot.com, but let me just tell you: I am one very depressing person. Honestly, I have spent my whole life afraid. I was afraid of what others thought of me. Afraid of my own truths. Afraid of what might happen. Afraid of what has happened. Just afraid. And like Master Yoda says, "Fear is the path to the Darkside. Anger leads to fear. Fear leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

Thirty has had some major lessons for me, but I needed 30. The combo of a lack of vitamin D and what I like to call early-onset midlife crisis led me to wake up early one spring morning, get real weird and then cry. I think, to put it simply, I had just realized things are not as I planned. I am not an accomplished author. I don't have a useful trade or a marketable skill. I never even graduated college. I quit to work at a comic shop. I felt like I had nothing to show. I am a migraine-afflicted, sad kid. We live paycheck to paycheck and everyone I know has a lovely new living room set. My pride whined, "This isn't the M.A.S.H. life I planned in 4th grade!" I do not own a Skee-Ball machine and I never became the size 4 lounge-singing artist/archaeologist that owns a hip cereal/coffee bar and apothecary on the west coast. Actually, aside from my nose ring, none of my life looks like what I planned for myself.

But how could I have pictured such a perfect mate, such precious children and such a beautiful life?

Friends, I have a major pride problem, and pride is any form of self-absorption. I felt I deserved more, and by believing that lie, I cheated myself out of so much grace.

This year I got consumed by a whale. I am like Jonah. I know what I should do. I just choose to run the other way. I needed a low place where I could cry out, "All who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs" (Jonah 2:8).  My idols are what I think I deserve. My pride, my idols, keep me from contentment. The gifts and grace are all around me, but I am too busy holding onto dreams of crap that doesn't matter. Titles, stature, clothes, objects - stuff that is is obsolete. I am giving up grace for Skee-Ball! You see, sometimes when we feel the lowest, God can do the biggest things. I needed to break down. I needed to see that I am an idiot. I needed to know what pride is and I needed to see how it robbed me blind. When I got that figured out, I realized I could not do any of this without my God. I need a Savior.

So why on earth am I sharing with you my emotional instabilities? Because we all have to confront the looming giants in our life. We all have to be David before Goliath, but, and this is crucial: We do not go into battle alone. Sure, you might feel unprepared, but God gave you want you needed to defeat the enemy. You are thinking, "What, this little slingshot?" Yes. That is what it will take. Not the shields or the big swords - a teensy slingshot. You see, God doesn't pick the people, events or objects we choose to exalt. He picks the underdogs. The little guys. You. This means we have to face what we fear, boldly, with what we have been given. And when we are victorious, friends, we take the head of our defeated and dead enemy and carry it around. You tell everyone what God did. (Read that story in 1 Samuel 17 again. David carries the decapitated head around. It's gross and awesome.)

For me, God saved me from myself. My fear. My hurt. My anger. My depression. My pride. My idols. When I was able to let go of "how I thought it would be" I was able to finally embrace how fabulous my life really is. I needed to start stepping into my grace. I am aging. There. I said it. It's happening. Am I old? No. Am I getting older? Yes, and so are you. Thirty is a great place to adjust to the changes. I want to use Star Wars references here, but I'll use major car brands as points instead. Friends, we are not the fresh-off-the-line models anymore. For me, I am Volkswagen Westfalia. A Classic. Quirky, yes, but road tested, and clearly not without faults. Heck, some parts are rigged together just to work, but I am still here, chugging along at my own pace. Turning 30 has given me the platform I needed to observe this fact: I am not a Maserati, and I don't want to be. I do not need to keep up with the new versions, and I don't need to strive to look like them either. God has given me all I need. I was blinded by pride and couldn't see that, but this year has taught me that life-changing truth.

Believers, I want you to be victorious. Yes, you will have bad days. Yes, things will feel overwhelming, but with God we are more than conquerors. This year let's focus less on how we thought things would be, and rather on how they really are. Be honest. Get help if you need it. Help others if you can. Encourage and show others what you have defeated. That idea, or idol, you're holding onto, with white knuckles and shaking fists, is not what you need. You need to let go, open up, heal, be restored and be renewed. There is so much grace and love around you, but you are choosing to hold onto crap. Let go and get a hold of something honest, something real.

If Bethany Hamilton can win first at nationals with one arm, you can certainly let go with both of your arms and learn to embrace something better.

We all set goals. It may not be at the beginning of a new year, but we do set them. Some of our goals are not super ambition (I'm going to sit in the office all day and not fall asleep...until 3pm). Other times our goals may be life changing (By this time next year I will be living as a missionary in Morocco)  No matter what the goal is, we don't meet them without some effort on our part. Here are a few tools to help us meet the goals we set.

Keep the "Why" in Mind. Why do you want to meet a certain goal? I am way more likely to actually get up in the morning and go for a run in this ridiculous cold, dark world if I remember that I'm not just doing it for me. I was to continue looking good for my wife. I want to be in a shape my kids won't be ashamed of. My body is a temple. If I remember those things I'm going to find it easier to get up than if I just think "Blah 6am is here again, I guess I better go out for a run to punish myself." Write the "why" down somewhere you will see it often to keep reminding yourself.

Tell Someone Your Goal. Preferably someone who will keep you in check. Don't just tell the girl at the checkout counter and think you have made progress. Share your goal with a friend who will check up on you and challenge you to keep pushing on, even when you don't feel like it or times get rough.

Set "mini-goals." What steps are you going to need to take along the way. How will you know if you are making progress? Find "mile markers" along the way to encourage yourself to keep it up. If you want to lose 60 lbs this year, when do you want to have 30 lost by? 10? 2?

Write Out Roadblocks. What obstacles do you see getting in the way of your meeting your goal and how will you overcome it? Thinking about these things ahead of time will better prepare you for when they happen.

All of these can apply to our spiritual lives as well. I hope one of your goals this year is to be closer to God by December 31, 2013 than you were a few days ago. How are you going to make sure that happens? God has given us brains to use. So use it to run the race. Use it to fight the fight. Drawing close to God doesn't "just happen" it takes effort on our part and the Enemy does not want it to happen.

As we start 2013, really pray about and set some goals for your walk with God. They will be some of the most rewarding goals you will meet.

What goals have you set for this year? What other "tools" do you have to help you meet those goals?