Andrew

I shed a tear or two last week for my son, Andy. We were privileged to hear his Senior presentation [a time when the student shares his high school experience with his parents] Also, this past Sunday we celebrated his public profession of his faith in God.   [Andy is wearing the orange and black shirt in the picture.]  My heart was exploding with gladness and gratefulness to the One who changes our lives and enters our heart when we ask him to. Andy is named in part for the disciple Andrew in the Bible. Andrew appears very few times in the Bible, yet almost all of those times he is bringing someone to Jesus. [Wouldn’t that be a neat thing to be remembered for?]

Andy’s life verse is Jeremiah 29:11-14 – “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 upon 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. I will be found by you," declares the LORD.” We prayed for Andy to seek hard after God. And he did. However, God also sought Andy. He came looking for Andy. He drew Andy to Himself. While we prayed - God was at work. God is faithful.

The name Andrew means “strong, manly, warrior” and trust me when I say this - he has lived out that name.   Andy has always been strong-willed, in the good sense and in the “not so good” sense. He has always cared for people and been a compassionate person, to those who were hurting. He has made people laugh with a smart comment or funny story. Andy has also been a warrior and I have cried for him as I watched him battle some things in life, things that were very challenging for him to walk through.

Andy graduates from high school in two days. He plans to pursue a double major in Digital Media Production and Computer Science. A magnet on my fridge says this: “There are two things you give your children: one is roots, the other is wings.” We gave him roots and now it’s time for us to give him his wings.

Andy: go out and do everything for God’s glory. Use the gifts God has given you to bless others and to help others see God. God knows the plans He has for you, Andy. Continue to call on Him and pray to Him. Continue to seek Him with all your heart and know that I will be here praying. Love you, Andy. Love, mom

More Than Conquerors

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” -- Romans 8:35


It is interesting to me that this verse starts out with “who” and ends with several forms of “what”. All of the things listed are not things that would come from God, but we know that they are a result of sin in the world. And I believe that the “who” here is satan.

Think with me about Job 1 and 2 – where a conversation occurs between God and satan. Job is not even aware of this conversation, but he definitely feels the impact of this conversation. He suffered tremendous loss! He suffered tremendous pain. He experienced things that went against God’s character and did not fit with what he knew to be God’s character. Job came to a crisis of faith and belief in God. Through it all, Job is “put to the test” and out of the ashes he rises. The book of Job tells us that Job never “charged God with wrongdoing”.

I wonder today how many times conversations go on between God and satan, where I am the center of the conversation? I may never know, however, I have the “privilege” of having read Job 1, to know that this conversation between God and satan did occur. Job did not have that. In the book of Romans, chapter 8, Paul uses powerful words to answer his own question about “who can separate us from the love of Christ?” Pauls says: “NO! In all things we are MORE than conquerors!” “For I am convinced…” “Nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God”

If, today you find yourself in the midst of what seems like a “train wreck” in your life. If you are dealing with things that are causing you to question all that you know to believe and understand about God and his character… take comfort and be encouraged by these verses from Romans 8. The temporary things of this life will not separate you from the Creator of all things. God is love and He loves you so much more than you can imagine. And you never know - but there may very well have been a conversation about you. Lean into God’s loving arms. Let him carry you through this time in your life and use the strength he gives to help you rise above the “train wreck” and be more than a conqueror!

Treasures of the Heart

Her words hit my core. “Letting go is so hard”. In Ecclesiastes 3 it says “there is a time for everything.” For me personally, the past couple of years have consisted of “letting go” of one thing or another. Letting go of habits. Letting go of pain. Letting go of my plans. Letting go of people. Letting go of the “trophy’s” of this life. Letting go of the identity that I had. Letting go of old regrets. Letting go of bitterness. Letting go of misconceptions about someone else. Letting go of resentment. And, yes, I have found that letting go is so hard. There is a time for everything. Even a time to “let go”. Some things were harder to let go of, than others. I do not see what God sees. God sees from the beginning to the end. He sees “the whole scope”.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” God’s word tells us that there is a time for everything and God makes it beautiful “for its own time”.

But oftentimes I am a like a little kid that doesn’t want to share a toy. I am not about to let go of something that is “MINE”. I fight and I cling and I hold onto it as long as I can. When I try to store up treasures here on earth, sometimes it gets downright ugly. Yes, it is hard to let go. I would be lying if I said I love letting go of things that I have long desired or become very attached to.

Matthew 6 tells us "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” God has planted eternity into our hearts. He created us to desire and yearn for eternity with him. I need to daily remind myself to let go of the treasures I have here. The things that I think give my life purpose. The things I think I need to fulfill my life. The things I give my heart to. For where my heart is…you will also find what I treasure. I think it is time for a treasure hunt.

Love Is...

Where does the time go? We were very young as we stood in the front of that church that day in May 1984. Each 20 years old. We said our vows: For better, for worse. In richer and in poorer. In sickness and in health. We promised to encourage each other to develop the gifts God has given us. We said: “I love you”. Then we said “I do.” And we stepped into our future together. Not really understanding what true love really is or even more so the verses we had chosen for our wedding day, from Colossians 3.

These well known verses from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 give us a glimpse of what love is. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Today I have a much better understanding of what love really is, because of these past 26 years.Real life helps us begin to understand what love is.  Real life helps us learn to love in the way God desires. 

Love is sacrifice. Love is not just a “feeling”. Love is crying together. Love is praying together for that much desired child. Love is celebrating that new job. Love is saying I am sorry [no matter what the movie “Love Story” said]. Love is saying I forgive you. Love is rejoicing over the birth of each child God gives you. Love is compromise. Love is compassion. Love is kindness. Love is realizing that we all make mistakes and showing grace when someone else does, or receiving it when you do. Love is humility. Love is gentle. Love is putting yourself in their shoes. Love is encouraging someone to be all that God has made them to be. Love is putting the other first. Love grows silently, and suddenly you realize you would never want to be without that person.

Today my husband and I celebrate 26 years of marriage. We have had many reasons to rejoice, we have had some sorrow, some pain and some trials. Today I know without a doubt that I would do it all over again. Thank you, Mike, for walking this journey with me. I love you.

Celebrate This Day

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Don't miss what God is doing in your life because all you can focus on is what you wish He was doing. Celebrate THIS day! – Ron Hutchcraft


I read those words last week in an email devotional that I receive every day. They opened my eyes to something that I had been missing. And I would have missed those words if I had not slowed down enough to read all the way to the end of the devotional. Sometimes we think we know what we are looking for and where God wants us or what he wants to do with us. And we really haven’t got a clue what is really important, so we stay busy doing all these good things. But “busyness” for God is not really doing what God wants or intends for our lives to be about. Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." What can we learn from Jesus? He did take time away, alone, to pray. He waited for his Father’s timing.

I am in a time in my life right now where I am seeking where God wants me….what He wants to do with me. I was so busy looking for places He might want me to be and what I “wished He was doing”. I was forgetting that each day is His. Each day is a gift. I trust and claim the words of Jeremiah 29:11 – “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.” I think the one thing that God really wants us to do is sit at his feet…. To just listen. To just spend time with him. And not wishing for other things to be happening in our lives.

I encourage you to join me in taking some time today to slow down, to listen and to celebrate THIS day.

I Am Counting On God

Early in the morning the prayer was spoken. It had been a sleepless night. “God, I don’t even KNOW what to pray for anymore.” One word came clearly: “Joy”. I want joy. I want to choose true joy, not just happiness. True - feel it deep down inside – joy.

A favorite song of mine is “Counting on God” [#1 in my playlist].  This song says it this way: “Joy unspeakable that won’t go away and just enough strength to live for today. So I never have to worry what tomorrow will bring ‘cause my faith is on solid rock. I am counting on God!” Jared Anderson wrote this song after his church went through a very difficult year. This is what he says about the writing of the song.

“Counting on God” written by Jared Anderson
This song has come to the forefront in the life of our church because of the recent trials we’ve had to face. The testing of our faith has made us more resolved to endure and overcome the sufferings for the all-surpassing glory of God. It is not only our obstacles that will be defeated, but the Kingdom of our God will overtake the kingdom of this world. This song helps us put our battles into proper perspective. The evidence that this is taking place is seen in the transformation of our lives and community. We are nothing like we used to be.

"Counting on God" has become my prayer. How does that kind of joy come? There are many things we can count on God for. This morning I was drawn to these verses Psalm 18.

"You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."

Those verses contain a lot of wisdom and power. GOD keeps our lamp burning. We can advance against a troop [whatever we’re ‘fighting’] with God’s help. The walls in front of us CAN be scaled with His strength. Then I read these words: “He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”  He is a shield for us...For all who take refuge in Him. To me that implies a choice. He is always a shield around me.  I choose:  If I will pull into his safe harbor and let Him be what He really wants to be for me.  If I will take refuge in Him and find peace and rest.

He is the oil in my lamp. He is my helper. He is my shield. He is my refuge. He is my Rock. He is my strength. It’s a choice to do it my way or to count on God as my refuge. It’s a choice to take what He so readily offers.


[Note: The church that Jared Anderson was a member of is New Life Church, Colorado Springs, CO.  It is a story of hope and rising above, despite deep pain and heartache. Click here to read the story.]

The New Normal

I have often heard the phrase “the new normal”. That phrase is often said when something changes, and things how you knew them to be will never be what they were before the change. Change is all around us. I look out at the new leaves on the trees, showing me that spring has arrived [finally!]. I have been buying new clothes for the kids. They are growing and changing. I read back through some of my old journals – I have changed. Relationships change. People come into our lives and sometimes they go.

Things change… we learn to live “the new normal” many times in our lives.

Change can sometime be viewed as a bad thing. And sometimes it can be. Yet, many times change is a good thing – even the changes that are painful at the time. Winter to spring is probably my favorite change that occurs every year. The snowy, cold, strong winds of winter give way to warm, sunshiny days that reveal new buds on every tree. Our lives can be like that, too.

 If we let them - the harsh “winters” of our lives can lead to something even more beautiful: springtime in our lives. Where we live with the expectation of what will be.

Throughout the changing seasons in our lives; in the ebb and flow of life, sometimes it does seem like we are trying to find a foundation [a sure place to stand] while on shifting sand. The story from Matthew 7 of the wise man and the foolish man reminds us where to “plant” our feet, where to build our life. God is the solid rock. One of my favorite songs [“In Christ Alone by: Travis Cottrell] includes the phrase “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” He is the “sure” thing when changes come into our lives.

Hebrews 13:8 reminds us where to put our hope during those times of shifting sand - “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He will never move. He will always “be there”. He is always the same. He will never change.