2/15/12  It’s Gonna Be Okay

For the record, you don’t have to read this blog because it is not written for you…it’s written for me.

Okay, I guess you want to read it anyways, so here goes. The reason it’s not for you is I really have needed to be reminded of some things this week and this will be pretty basic review for most of you.

Do you ever have a line, just one line, of a song get stuck in your head? For me, this week, it has been a Veggie Tales song and the line is, “Oh no, what are we going to do?” (In case you just have to hear the whole song it’s from the movie about Daniel in the lion’s den.) I’m pretty sure that the line is in my head because since we took this leap of faith move to FL we are now at about three weeks with no paycheck. The scared little girl in me has this song going….and going.

Here’s what I’ve been reminded of this week…..even from childhood when was scared about something I could be greatly calmed by my daddy, and later my husband telling me, “It’s gonna be okay.” Twelve years ago, while living in NC, we found ourselves living in a mobile home on our church’s property in the direct path of an oncoming hurricane. Most of you know that bad weather is attracted to mobile homes so we decided to spend the night in the church building. I was several months pregnant with our daughter and was a bit freaked out about the whole situation. My dear husband gave me a hug and told me, “It’s gonna be okay.” Guess what….I curled up in his arms on a mattress from one of the cribs in the nursery and slept. In reality my husband had no more idea than I did if it was going to be okay…..he’s a great husband but he’s no weather man!

Here’s my lesson learned, or I should say relearned…..My heavenly Father PROMISES to provide my needs! This isn’t just some obscure Bible teaching, it’s all over the place in scripture. So if my husband and dad can calm me down with only words and not much to back them up, (sorry guys)…..I had better be calmed down and resting in peace when the God who made me, loves me, and not to mention owns the whole universe tells me….”I’ve got this and it’s going to be okay!”

It’s maddening how much time I sometimes spend looking for things.  I have a remote control that is MIA since our move…very frustrating!

This week I have been planning on writing about how I feel, in some ways, like I have lost my identity, meaning that after six years I am no longer a pastor’s wife and that has left me feeling a little bit, ummm, purposeless. I had been planning on writing about all of the different things that are mine in Christ. How I am a new creature, a child of the King, and a joint-heir with Jesus.

But tonight I heard a preacher talk about worship and he read a quote from a man named Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge  (yes, that’s his real name….and yes, I did lean over and make sure my son appreciated that we named him Ben!) Here’s the quote, it’s titled “That’s My King”

The Bible says my King is a seven-way king....He's the King of the Jews; that's a racial king....He's the King of Israel; that's a national King....He's the King of Righteousness....He's the King of the Ages.....He's the King of Heaven....He's the King of Glory....He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Well....I wonder, do you know Him?.... David said, "The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong....He's entirely sincere....He's eternally steadfast....He's immortally graceful....He's imperially powerful....He's impartially merciful....... Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son....He's a sinner's Saviour....He's the centerpiece of civilization....He stands in the solitude of Himself....He's august....He's unique....He's unparalleled....He's unprecedented....He's the loftiest idea in literature....He's the highest personality in philosophy....He's the supreme problem in higher criticism....He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology....He's the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion....He's the miracle of the age.... He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him....He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour...... I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak....He's available for the tempted and the tried....He sympathizes and He saves....He strengthens and sustains....He guards and He guides....He heals the sick....He cleanses lepers....He forgives sinners....He discharges debtors....He delivers captives....He defends the feeble....He blesses the young....He serves the unfortunate....He regards the aged....He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies the meek....... I wonder if you know Him?

Well, my King....is the King....He's the key to knowledge....He's the wellspring to wisdom....He's the doorway of deliverance....He's the pathway of peace....He's the roadway of righteousness ....He's the highway of holiness....He's the gateway of glory....... Do you know Him?

Well....His office is manifold....His promise is sure....His light is matchless....His goodness is limitless....His mercy is everlasting....His love never changes....His word is enough....His grace is sufficient....His reign is righteous....and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable....He's incomprehensible....He's invincible....He's irresistible.

Well, you can't get Him out of your mind....You can't get Him off of your hand....You can't out live Him, and you can't live without Him....The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him....Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him....The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree....Herod couldn't kill Him....Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him. Yea!!!, that's my King, that's my King.

Father..."Thine is the Kingdom....and the Power....and the Glory....Forever"....and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever...and ever...and when you get through with all the forevers, then.... AMEN!....AMEN!

After hearing this quote I realized that it really isn’t so much about who I am as it is about who He IS!!

So Amen and Amen to who He is and I will humbly bow before Him as His “agape doulos” …..that is His love slave!

I love roller coasters, but it hasn’t always been that way. When I was a kid I was terrified of them until my cousin talked me into riding one…just once she said. I survived the ride but was ready to get off.  Unfortunately, the safety restraint got stuck and they couldn’t get us off. The attendants said this had happened before and if we just go around again it usually would release. Three or four times later it finally let us off! The up-side was that I now loved roller coasters!

I should qualify that statement. I love amusement park roller coasters. The roller coaster that is my life these days I am often not very fond of.  The last couple of weeks before our big move from NY to FL I realized that I had a familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was the feeling that you get when the roller coaster is climbing to the top of that high plummeting drop-off. You know it’s coming and part of you is excited, but part of you is terrified.

I saw this status on facebook….”Life is like a roller coaster, it has ups and downs but it is our choice to scream or enjoy the ride.”

There have been a few times lately that I have heard screaming in my head. I look around to see who it is and realize it’s me. Those are the times that I am just looking at the circumstances and have taken my eyes off the One who controls those circumstances….the One who, when I do keep my eyes on Him, makes the ride enjoyable.

This is what the LORD says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.  (Jeremiah 29:10-12 NLT emphasis mine)

I know this promise is for the nation of Israel but the principles apply to us as well. After all, God tells us through Paul in Romans 8,

 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.  For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. (28-30 NLT emphasis mine)

So as I have come home to FL I can enjoy the ride…..Even when the quick turns and ups, and downs come fast and unexpected, if I keep my eyes focused on God and the knowledge that He is working all things for my good as He conforms me to the image of His precious Son.

Steven Curtis Chapman always has such a way of putting things in words….

I watch you looking out across the raging water, so sure your only hope lies on the other side 


You hear the enemy that's closing in around you and I know that you don't have the strength to fight  but do you have the faith to stand and... 

Believe Me now, believe Me here, remember all the times I've told you loud and clear I am with you and I am for you so believe Me now, believe Me now 

I am the One who waved my hand and split the ocean. I am the One who spoke the words and raised the dead 
And I've loved you long before I set the world in motion. I know all the fears you're feeling now but do you remember who I am? 

So believe Me now, believe it's true I never have, I never will abandon you. And the God that I have always been I will forever be so believe Me now. 

I am the God who never wastes a single hurt that you endure My words are true and all My promises are sure. 
So believe Me now. Oh, believe Me now.  (Believe Me Now by Steven Curtis Chapman on his All Things New album)

So let’s stick our hands up in the air and delight in the ride!

After driving more than thirty hours over three days in a truck pulling a trailer that was part of a five vehicle convoy as we transferred everything we own from NY to FL my thought process is a bit sketchy so this week’s blog will be brief.

Over and over this last week I have been overwhelmed by love….the love of so many friends who gave of themselves in many different ways. Some gave financially, some had or took us to dinner, some wrote incredible notes of love and encouragement. What blessings!!

I was overwhelmed by the love of five young men who mean so much to my whole family that came and used their strength to help load the trailer and used their amazing senses of humor to lighten the mood. Thank you and love you all so much Ben Spaulding, Ben DePerno, Donald Smith, Forrest Farrington, and Tom Mader!

I was overwhelmed by my parents who drove up from FL to help. My mom is an amazing trooper who can still run circles around me most of the time. My dad drove a VERY loaded trailer full of our stuff over hill and dale. Strong and steady, that’s my daddy! This is not the first time by a long shot that they have helped us move but I think it certainly qualifies as the hardest and most stressful! What a great heritage I have!

I was overwhelmed by the love of my dear and best friend since I was eight years old who came up to NY from FL and spent ten days helping me pack and basically keeping me sane and together through a process that was hard on so many levels. Thank you will never be enough….eternally grateful and love you Robin! …..also a huge shout-out to her wonderful hubby who allowed me to “borrow” her…Thank you Harry….Sarah and HAL too for giving up mom for a time.

Most of all, I have felt overwhelmed by the love of my Savior. He has shown me in so many ways, some big and some small, that He loves me and cares about every detail of my life. For example, on Sunday, as we started to load the trailer, I slipped on the ice in the driveway and down I went. I got up and brushed myself off and realized that the ring that Bob bought me a few months ago on a special get-away was missing. We looked all around and I told everyone to keep a lookout for it. It didn’t turn up. That night I mentioned to Bob that out of the several things that we had to leave behind I most hated the fact that I was leaving behind the ring he had bought me. Early the next morning, unbeknownst to me, he went out in the driveway and prayed that God would help him find that ring. He looked down and there it was, right at his feet!! Overwhelming love!

How reassuring to be overwhelmed by His love as we step out into this new chapter of our lives!

As I sit and write my regular Wednesday blog I am filled to overflowing with the three emotions that make up today’s title. This is due to the fact that on Sunday we will be ending a season of our lives and launching into a new adventure. When I think about all that God has done in our lives so far, I have great anticipation to see what excitement this next step holds.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude when I reflect on the joys of ministering among the amazing group of people that God has blessed us with at Mortons Corners Baptist Church. We have been blessed to see God work and share in the joy of seeing many come into a personal relationship with Jesus, and others deepen their walk with Him. Oh, I do feel truly humbled and blessed!

Now to the dread. Let me start by saying that I hate good-byes. There are television commercials that reduce me to tears because someone has to say goodbye. There are old episodes of MASH that, even though I have seen them many times still make me cry…and I’m not talking just a tear or two. I recently cried during the preview of a movie because someone dies in it! Well, you get the picture. This Sunday we have to say goodbye to a lot of people who have become simply precious to us over the last six years and to say that I am dreading that seems like an understatement of epic proportions!

In the midst of all of this I have been reminded of three different verses. One is from a song and the other two are Bible verses. Let me share them with you.

First is actually the chorus from an old Michael W. Smith song called Friends.
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long to live as friends.

How wonderful to know that even if we never have the opportunity to see each other again this side of Heaven that in Christ these friendships last forever.

Next is Psalm 35:27. This whole chapter has been a great comfort to me over the past few months, but this verse really speaks my heart to those who have stood by us.

But give great joy to those who came to my defense. 
      Let them continually say, “Great is the LORD, 
      who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”  (NLT)

And finally what I would like to end with Philippians 1:3-6

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.  Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.  And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (NLT)

I do give thanks to God for each and every person who the Lord has brought into our lives during our six years in Springville.  Many have tirelessly partnered with us in our ministry here. I am so grateful for the faithfulness of God who promised to continue His work in each and every one of us until it is complete when He returns.

Shhhh! Don’t tell but I have snuck away from our moving sale to write down a couple of thoughts. J Bright and early this morning, which is what happens when you let your husband put the ad in the paper….”You started it at 7:00?!?”, people began to amble through the rows of things that began in my driveway and carried on through the main level of my home. At least half of everything we own had been set out to sell, not having made the cut of what was worth the truck or trailer space in our upcoming move. There are a couple of things that are sobering about this whole process. The first one is how much STUFF a family can accumulate that when it comes right down to it is not needed. The second one is how freeing it is to be rid of all of the excess.

It has set my mind to thinking about my inner life as well. How much “stuff” do I hold unto that I don’t need and would actually be quite freeing to be rid of? My inner “stuff sifting” has found a lot that can go! Worry, fear, anger, disappointment, bitterness. Who needs them? Not me! It’s time to clean up.

I’m reminded of a blog I wrote a couple of years ago……

2/18/09 Sweating the Small Stuff

Various - of diverse kinds; unlike; different. James 1:2 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds". Peter uses the same word in I Peter 1:6 when he says, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials".

Most of us have faced some pretty big trials in our lives. We have lost a loved one, faced a bad report from the doctor, or maybe not known where the money was going to come from to feed our family their next meal. Not all trials are big trials and that is a reason to be thankful. Don't you find, though, that the small trials can really mess you up in your day to day walk with the Lord? When a big trial comes generally our first response is to turn to the Lord. We KNOW we cannot handle those on our own. Small trials tend to sneak up on us. They are often just the daily aggravations of life: unmet expectations, cranky kids, a broken down car, an overflowing washing machine, or a person going too slow when we are in a hurry. Sometimes, ladies, things that would not bother us at all, depending on what time of the month it is, can really affect our state of mind.

I have had one of those weeks! Did you see the movie "The Incredibles"? (If you haven't, you must, it's one of my all time favorites!) At one point in the movie Mr. Incredible, who obviously has super-human strength, is captured. The thing that brings him to his knees is not a huge powerful thing in and of itself. He gets hit with a small ball of black...for lack of a better word, blob. He keeps running but then more of these black blobs land on him and before you know it he is taken down. This week my small aggravations have been like those black blobs. You know, one or two and I can keep going, keep doing my devotions, and living my life. Before I knew it though I was bogged down; dry devotions, and no joy. "Yikes", I thought, "What happened?" What happened is that I had not turned to Him in the little things. I certainly had not "counted it all joy" with James or "rejoiced" with Peter.

Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us". Remember chapter 11 of Hebrews is where we are given examples of saints who have gone before us excising great faith. I love that it doesn't just say to lay aside the sin. Yes, sin does hinder the running of the race of faith but the author of Hebrews also tells us to lay aside "every weight". These weights are the things other than sin that cling to us and hinder us in our race. So I have to lay these aside, this is an action. I must make the conscious decision to lay these things aside so that I can run my race and bring glory to my Savior.



I gotta go….think I’ve been found out! 

My mom has a devotional calendar sitting on her kitchen window sill and when I was visiting her last month one of the days’ devotion spoke about God as I AM. The first time God reveals this name to us is in Exodus 3 when He speaks to Moses out of the burning bush. In the book of John there are seven I AM statements recorded that Jesus used to refer to Himself.

I AM the Bread of Life (6:35,41,48; 5:1)
I AM the Light of the world (8:12)
I AM the Door of the sheep (10:7,9)
I AM the Good Shepherd (10:11,14)
I AM the Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6)
I AM the true Vine (15:1,5)

Sermons have been preached and books have been written about each of these titles. Bread, the necessary food for my spiritual life. Light, to guide me each step of the way. Door, the entrance to my eternal life. Good Shepherd to guide and protect me. Resurrection and the Life, He who conquered death that I may live. Way, Truth, and Life…the only way, truth and life. The true Vine, where I must abide if I am to live and produce fruit.

These are all deep and wonderful truths and yet the one that lingers in my heart and offers me such peace and comfort is that He is I AM. In Revelation He is called the One who is and who was and who is to come. Yes, He is the God who was. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all of the saints of old. He loved them, guided them and protected them. He is also the God who will someday come and reign victorious over all. Hallelujah and praise Him for those wonderful truths!

The best part is that He is the God who is! He is I AM, not just I was or I will be….I AM! He is with me, He encompasses me protecting me and hemming me in on all sides. I can hardly contain my absolute glee as I allow that truth to soak into my weary soul. How precious that I am a child of I AM!!

We live in topsy-turvy times. My life right now is especially so. God is here in the midst of it…I know He is. I see glimpses of His hand in my circumstances at every turn. And yet….sometimes, worry sneaks up on me. I’m going along fine, deciding what to sell and what to keep, sorting, organizing, packing boxes and…BAM! The questions start in my head. Where are we going to live? What if it we can’t find work? Why is this happening? Before I know it worry has slithered its way into my head and boy, does it have a firm grip!

The first seven verses of Psalm 37 have helped me a lot.

1 Don’t worry about the wicked
      or envy those who do wrong.
 2 For like grass, they soon fade away.
      Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

 3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
      Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
 4 Take delight in the Lord,
      and he will give you your heart’s desires.

 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
      Trust him, and he will help you.
 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
      and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

 7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
      and wait patiently for him to act.
   Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
      or fret about their wicked schemes. (NLT)

Notice that this passage is bracketed with two admonitions to not worry. In the middle is four steps that can us get the upper hand on this joy-robber.

1. Trust in the Lord and do good. (v. 3) God promises to provide my needs. He promises that He will work all things together to make me more like Him and bring Him glory. Lack of trust in these promises makes me fretful. Faith and works go together so I need to continue to serve Him while I wait on His timing.
2. Delight in the Lord. (v. 4) To delight in Him is more than just being thankful for what He does for me. It speaks more to reveling and finding great joy in who He is.
3. Commit everything I do to Him. (v. 5) “Commit” means to” throw my burdens.” Doesn’t that sound great? I can just picture taking a big load of stuff that bogs me down in worry and chucking it over a cliff! But actually it’s better than that because the burdens aren’t just thrown off me…they are given to Him!
4. Be still in the presence of the Lord. Ah, peace and rest. That’s what my worried soul yearns for! This brings to mind Isaiah 40:31 “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (NASB)

Trust, delight, commit, be still….take these to heart my friends and find peace for your weary soul!

Have you ever noticed when you read in the Old Testament how many times you find a reference to a miracle God had done or a promise He had kept for the nation of Israel? I did a very quick and unscientific word search and came up with over fifty times that the phrase “out of Egypt” is used in a way that is a remembrance of God using Moses to bring the nation of Israel out of Egypt and eventually to the promise land.

It’s not that God needs to keep pointing this out….it’s that the children of Israel needed to be continually reminded. There seem to be two distinct purposes for these reminders. The first one was for when the Israelites were heading down the path of disobedience. It’s like God was saying, “Hey, remember me….the One who brought you out of Egypt and into the promised land? Remember all those miracles I did for you? Don’t you think I should be worshipped and obeyed? What are you doing…what are you thinking?!”

The second situation that brings on a reminder was when the nation was facing something really tough. Usually it was an upcoming battle that was going to be fought against incredible odds. In these cases the reminder was more like, “Hey, remember me….the One who brought you out of Egypt and into the promised land? Remember all those miracles I did for you? Don’t you think that I can handle this battle for you too? Why are you worrying?”

 I think remembering the goodness and greatness of God is still very important for us today. Remember who He is and what He has done…..the miracles of the Bible, yes, but also the great things that He has done for you. Your salvation, the way He provides for you, everything in your life comes from Him. Doesn’t He deserve to be worshipped and obeyed? Hasn’t He proven that He can be trusted in the midst of any of our life’s storms?

So take time today to remember what a mighty God we serve!!

I graduated from a christian high school and for the yearbook all of the seniors were asked to give our favorite bible verse. At that time my favorite was Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To everything there is a season,

      A time for every purpose under heaven:
       2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
      A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
       3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
      A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
       4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
      A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
       5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
      A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
       6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
      A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
       7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
      A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
       8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
      A time of war,
And a time of peace.

One thing I've learned living in Western New York....some seasons are long (brrr) and some seasons are short. I have certainly spent some time cheering summer on, hoping against hope that it would hold on just a little bit longer. But, no matter how much I might cling to summer, the days shorten and the temperatures begin to drop.

The seasons come and go and we are reminded that change is inevitable. Some changes we like....and some we dread. Some we see coming and some sneak up on us and take our breath away with their suddeness. But change comes.

Especially in the midst of unexpected and unwelcome change there is great comfort to be found that we serve a Savior who is not surprised by the turn in the road. In fact, He put it there and it is there for the purpose of producing good in us as He shapes us to be more like Him and to bring glory to Himself. That's the promise we have in Romans 8:28-29.

 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; (NASB emphasis mine)

I'll close with an illustration I have used before...forgive me for being repetitive. When change comes and we are struggling to understand what possible good God could bring out of the direction our road has taken, it is good to know that we do not see the whole picture. If you were given one piece of a thousand piece puzzle and did not see the box there is very little chance that you would have a clue what the finished puzzle would look like. Remember, God sees all of time and all of creation....He created it all and is working out His divine and perfect purpose. Our life is just a small piece of that puzzle. What peace and joy comes as we trust Him and play our piece in the grand picture!