The church of my youth.

I remember my mother driving down an unfamiliar street one time. I asked why we were going down the road and my mom said, "Sometimes I like to drive past nice houses and imagine what it would be like to live in them." It sounded sad to me as a kid, kind of depressing actually, but to my mother it wasn't, and I understand her better now that I am an adult. She was daydreaming, and the simple act of daydreaming brought her pleasure. After our little "joy ride", we drove back to our apartment... the one we lived in off and on for most of my grade-school years. 

I loved the apartments, to be honest, but I knew that my dad did not share the same feelings. As the provider of the family, he felt defeated each time we had to move back to the apartment complex. Deciding to move into a house was a choice that was made with the hopes of the better life that both of my parents wanted. Boxes were packed in anticipation. The decision to move back to the apartments, on the other hand, was harder because it was usually made in discouragement, after the reality hit that we couldn't afford the house or duplex we were living in. 

For me, though, the apartments were way more fun than any house ever was. Mostly because there were endless friends in the apartment complex. There were tons of other kids to play with, and a playground for us all to play at. The tire swing on the playground was my favorite. I was never bored! We were outside all day until it was dark, playing and using our imagination. All of my friends were in close proximity, and were connected by a "courtyard".

The kids in those apartments taught me all kinds of things, good and bad. It was far from ideal, from a parent's standpoint, I understand that now. But as a kid, I just loved it. Let's just say that somehow, by the grace of God, I was saved from many things, and all I can think is that when I wasn't praying (and I did pray a lot) my momma was!

At a very young age, I was hanging out with other kids who smoked. I was offered my first cigarette by a slightly older child when I was just 6 or 7 years old. I didn't know what to say at the time and I was relieved when another child spoke up for me, "Don't ask her that! She is too young!" It was dropped and I was never asked again. 

At one point, my brother and I were taught how to go across the street my mom told us not to cross and steal candy. This went great until an older boy ratted us out to our parents and we got in really big trouble. For some kids, getting in trouble meant being grounded for a week. Not us, though. For us, it meant our parents calling a policeman to talk to me and my brother, and all of us walking into the store we stole from to apologize to the workers there.  Let's just say I never did that again.

The kids around me in the apartments didn't all go to church. I knew words to songs I shouldn't have known, and I had crushes on boys twice my age that my dad would not have approved of. 

Through it all, though, the ups and the downs, the constant in my life was church. No matter what living situation we found ourselves in, or where we laid our heads each night, on Sunday mornings we went to the same old familiar building... Lansing First Church of the Nazarene in my younger years and Lansing South Church of the Nazarene up until the time I graduated high school and went on to college. 

I learned that no matter where I was mentally, socially, and physically, the church would always be there.

Church was a mix of every kind of person you could think of. I loved Sunday nights when people would share their testimonies, because it gave me (and all of us) insight into what each person went through. I especially got a feel for just how different everyone was, though, once a month when they would do their "Singspiration" night. The whole "Singspiration" service was dedicated to people coming up and singing or playing their instruments for the congregation. The sweet older couple on their banjos, literally slapping their legs every time they sang was followed by the young flutist just learning to play a new song, and then the beautiful lady who nailed every note perfectly, with the most angelic voice EVER. The whole thing would just make you smile, really.

Walking the halls of the church was as comfortable as walking the halls of our old apartment buildings. The super duper sweet older man with a round body that matched his round face would show up every single Sunday with candy in his pockets to share with the children. You could see how much his grandchildren adored him and every kid wished he was their grandpa. His heart was as big as his smile, and you just couldn't help but love him.

Being involved in the teen group meant that I got to go on great vacations (mission trips) with some of my closest friends too -- something that would have been an impossibility for our family otherwise. Some of my greatest childhood memories were created because of the church. I could sense the love and devotion of those who worked with the youth and it made going to church a joy. The congregation felt like extended family to us. They wanted good things for our family, and they encouraged and inspired us each time we went. Church was always a happy place for me.

When the going got REAL tough, and my parents were bogged down with too many medical bills to count, it was the other adults in the congregation who encouraged them, prayed with them, listened to them, and then offered advice along with bags of groceries. "South Church" was good to us. It wasn't perfect, because people went there and people weren't perfect, but it was good.

Today, I find myself wanting other young people to feel just as welcomed at the church as I was growing up. I want them to walk the familiar halls and sense that they are loved there... that no matter where they come from, and how the world around them changes, a church that loves them will be a constant for them that they can keep coming back to.

What a treasure we offer our children when we bring them to a church once a week for their whole childhood. When they experience, for themselves. the love of other believers in the church, they are learning that the church is a place to go for comfort, direction, encouragement, and community. This piece of knowledge offers an extra sense of stability in their lives, both in the present and in the future. What a blessing. Thank you, mom and dad, for the priceless gift of taking me to church every Sunday and the "breadcrumb trail" that was left because of it. Love you both, and love you, "South Church"!

Compassionate Souls.

What do you do with sorrow? Sadness? Hurt? Disappointment? 

I found this in Oswald Chamber's book, My Utmost for His Highest, and I thought it was worth sharing...  May you get to a place where you can nourish others after you have come through the fire, for that is the Christian's sweet spot, but it must not be rushed. Allow for God's timing.

". . . what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 'Father, glorify Your name' " (John 12:27-28).

As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spirit of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.

We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.

Sorrow removes a great deal of a person's shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he had plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.

And when you turn back, strengthen your brothers.

Sometimes it takes going through a challenging time to knock off some of the rough edges that we never knew existed in our lives. Peter was one of those people who needed some rough edges knocked off.
Most of us are familiar with the way that Peter failed Jesus by denying him three times prior to the rooster crowing. . . just as Jesus said he would. . . and just like Peter insisted he wouldn't. What many don't catch in the Bible is that Jesus also admitted to Peter that there was a deal made with Satan over Peter's life.

Luke 22:31-32 says,  “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Satan has asked to "SIFT YOU AS WHEAT". (gulp) wow! Seriously? Satan wanted to tear Peter apart, to break him down, until there was NOTHING left of the poor guy. Jesus tells Peter that he has prayed for him that he would get through the "sifting", and his faith would not fail, and that he would be instrumental in strengthening others with his faith when he comes out stronger after his ordeal.

I'll admit, the first time I read this I found no comfort in it at all. I couldn't get past the "sifting as wheat" comment, and I questioned why any deal should be made with Satan at all. Like, why does he have to get involved? Shouldn't he just leave the good Christians alone?

Something shifted in my mind after I went through a time of "sifting" myself that lasted much longer than I was comfortable with. I saw those verses differently when I tried to process my own personal sifting experience.

After the sifting comes a breakthrough and from that breakthrough comes a movement of others being strengthened. The trials that Satan wanted to put Peter through actually made him stronger, and because he was stronger, he could use that as a teaching tool that would then go on to strengthen others.

This was the hope I could cling to... that the terrible things that were happening that I couldn't make sense out of could somehow be used for God's glory, and therefore, not be all-for-nothing... or more importantly, not leave me weak, vulnerable, and alone, which is what I feared all along.

How about you?
Maybe you have already been through a challenging time that felt like a "sifting". Maybe you are going through that challenging time right now.

If you are in the middle of what feels like you are being sifted as wheat, take heart, and do these things:

• Hold onto your faith. God may be using this time to refine some things in your life and that is okay. 
• Continue seeking God. Pray, and read your Bible. Meditate on God's word, digging for nuggets of truth that speak directly to where you are at in your life right now.
• Stay close with fellow believers who will help keep your accountable in your faith.
• Make your question, "What are you teaching me here, God?" or  "What are you revealing about yourself to me right now?"

OH! And take notes... you just might be "strengthening your brothers" someday!!!

Your mind will always believe what you tell it.

Go here for Alisha's 5 tips to bouncing back when you feel discouraged or disappointed.

life.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”

-Mother Teresa

Ten years of marriage.

I met my husband in college. Freshman orientation. He had on a plaid shirt, and he had a full facial hair thing going on. He was in a group of about four guys. The guys I met him with that day would be the same core group of friends (give or take a few) that he would have all the way through college. I, on the other hand, was joyfully friend-hopping. I was swept up in the idea of meeting TONS of new people, and I wanted to meet each one. Our interaction was a very brief and informal meeting: "Hi. What's your name? Oh.  My name is...Oh okay. Well, see you around!" I might not have even remembered that brief interaction, except that I remember thinking that he looked too old to be a freshman, with the great big beard thing going on.

We didn't actually start dating, or even really hanging out, until our junior year of college. 
When we did hang out he was funny. 
And he was fun. 
But he was also serious. And I didn't understand him...

...and he continued to come around, 
and he continued to grow on me.

By the end of junior year I was wondering why we weren't married yet. We got married December 27, 2003... just a few months after we graduated.
Today we are celebrating our ten year anniversary. 


It dawned on my today how much has changed since we met, and got married. Scott has a joke he likes to tell, "Men marry women thinking they will never change. Women marry men thinking they will change....And both of them are disappointed." He waits for the reaction, and then he adds, "We laugh because it's true!"

I have changed a lot. There are many reasons for that, and Scott has embraced the changes and loved me through them all. Scott, on the other hand, he seems to have only become a better version of who he already was. All of the character traits that stood out ten years ago are the same ones that would prove to be refined with time and stand out like gold. When I was first getting to know Scott, I was impressed by his honesty, his confidence, his consistent integrity, and his impressively even-tempered personality. I felt secure with him, because I could trust him. 

 None of those things have changed, but have only increased in value with time.

Unlike Scott's character, things in life will continue to change, and so I thought I might take a few minutes tonight to write a brief  list of a few specific things that I appreciate at this point in our marriage. Scott, this one is for you...

Your witty sense of humor.
The creative way you take care of problems.
The sound of the garage opening and you coming through the door in the late afternoon.
The kids jumping up and down when they hear that daddy is home.
The way you eat my food without complaining. 
The way your hand swoops across my back as I pass you in the kitchen.
The sideways smile you shoot my way after one of the kids does something crazy. 
The subtle way you communicate things that are unique to just you and me.
How you make me laugh so hard that I have to stop you and gasp out, "Wait! I have asthma!"
Going on long trips for no reason just to enjoy nice conversation.
The way you patiently listen...even if it means hearing me say the same thing over and over again.
The way you patiently listen to everyone. 

The soft answer that brings perspective when I am desperately lacking it.

 The gentle way you lead our family.

The firm way you deal with necessary discipline in our home.

The way you lead by example. 
How you drop me off at the door, and then go park, on cold days.  
When you surprise the kids and take us someplace special.
Cuddling.
Laughing. 
The sweet, quiet times of reading to the children and praying with them at the end of the day.
The humble way you work and serve those around you.
The way you make goals, plan, and work hard to achieve your goals. 
Your faithfulness to the things God calls you to.

God knew that it would take a man like you to deal with a woman like me.  I appreciate you Scott Michael Hughes, and I am glad I get to do life with you. It's funny because when I first met you, all I saw was a guy with facial hair. Now all I see is a man who does what he wants. :) Same guy, different perspective. I don't know where I would be without you.

Thank you for being a rock when things get hard, a light when things get foggy, and a safe place to land when everything settles.

I love you.

Happy Anniversary honey!!

Blessed.

"Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him." ~Psalm 33:1

He will sustain you.

This is a song I was listening to with my monkeys this afternoon while they bee-bopped around on a mattress in our living room. This one is straight from the Bible without any extra fluff and stuff, so I won't bother adding any fluff and stuff either.

Awesome song time.

Comfort for when you are dealing with fear, stress, or anxiety.

When our first born, Preston, was just two years old, we took him to a resale shop that was having its grand opening. The store was Once Upon a Child, and they had a couple of people in Dora and Diego costumes waving to people out by the street to create excitement and draw people in. We pointed them out to Preston as we pulled into our parking spot, thinking he was going to love it. Well, we were wrong. Preston immediately started expressing his disinterest in them, using words like "scary" to describe them. We reassured him that they were out by the street, so he had nothing to worry about. We took him into the store and began our shopping. While we were in the store, however, the "costumes" decided to come in and greet the children. I wouldn't have even known that Dora and Diego were in the store except for Preston's reaction to them. He ran over to the corner of the store and wedged himself into the corner and started yelling, "SCARED," while sobbing. I looked over at him and saw him being hysterical. From what I could tell, there was nothing wrong around him, but he was clearly panicking, which made me scared. I asked him, "Preston, what's wrong?" and then he pointed, and I realized what was happening. Other kids were lining up to hug Dora and Diego, taking pictures, laughing, and having a great time. Meanwhile, my child was being traumatized. He kept staring at the "costumes" like he was seeing the Devil himself. "PRESTON! Look at mommy!" I tried to shout over his crying. I wanted to reassure him it was okay, but I couldn't get him to look away from the thing that was scaring him. "Look at mommy, Preston! You're okay!" Eventually I had to give up on the idea of consoling him while in the store and carry him out of the store. He settled down once we were outside. Just a few minutes later, though, Dora and Diego came outside, and we had to start the calming process all over again. For months afterward, any time we went to a store, he would ask if there were going to be any "costumes" there, and we would have to tell him, "No, Preston, there will not be any costumes at Walmart." (or JCPenney. . . or wherever we happened to be going that day).

Preston is almost seven years old now and has completely forgotten about his first trip to Once Upon a Child, but I still think back to that moment sometimes. . . The moment when he had a choice to make: to look at me and be reassured and comforted, or to continue to look at the thing that was scaring him and feed his fear.

Where do you look to when you are afraid?  There are times when I am more like my two-year-old son than I would like to admit. Sometimes I stare at my fears until they look bigger than they really are, when I really should be looking to God and praying in faith, knowing that God's got me and it's going to be alright. I have been reading the Psalms lately in my devotional time, and I have been reminded over and over again of many things. Here are just a few:

1. God comforts us with his love and faithfulness, 
2. God offers peace as we trust in him,
3. God offers his protection and provision as we look to him. 

I have been sharing some podcasts this week from my Pastor, Gene Tanner, on the names of God, because I have found that taking the focus off of myself, my worries, my fears, and my stresses, and reflecting on the names of God instead has been a great source of strength and comfort for me, and I wanted to pass that on. Today we are going to look at another name of God. Jehovah Shalom translates to "The Lord is Peace."  If you could use some peace in your life today, you might want to check this one out. Click on the link below:
 

Jehovah Shalom

The God who fed 5,000 feeds you today.

"Yahweh" or "Jehovah" means, "Lord." Yahweh lets us know that God is the great I AM. God is still working today just as powerfully, in this very moment, as He was when He parted the Red Sea, fed the five-thousand, and calmed the storm. Do you need to know that God is working powerfully today and can work a miracle in your life right here, right now?? To hear more about "Yahweh" click on the link below:

Yahweh

God has met the need to your biggest problem before you had the problem.

This past summer, a bird created a nest in the wreath that hung outside our front door. I was delighted, because it meant that I would get to share the experience with my kids as her babies came into the world. I have always been fascinated by the whole process of birds hatching and being brought into the world. My kids and I kept a close eye on the birds every day and observed some of the things that they were doing. When the birds were very, very little they would open their beaks as wide as they could at every little sound, hoping that food would be on its way, and then chirp incessantly if it wasn't.  We noticed that when we opened the front door, the sound of the door would get them all excited, and they would reach their necks up nice and tall and open their beaks as if food was coming. I actually stopped opening the front door for a short time because I felt so bad about it. As they got bigger, though, they seemed to get more accustomed to the sounds around them, and they became more familiar with what sounds were "food is coming" sounds and what sounds weren't. We also noticed that they started to get more comfortable with the idea that "mom" or "dad" (not sure which) was going to take care of them so they could settle down a little bit. Their sweet little heads poked up every time their mom came swooping over to the nest with food, but then when she left, they would just watch her leave, knowing she would be back again with more food later, rather than chirping incessantly. After a really good feeding, the baby birds would curl around each other in the nest and take a nap. They could rest, knowing that they were provided for.  

In the same way, as we grow and mature in our spiritual walk, we learn to trust the Lord to provide for us what we need as we need it. As He continues to provide day after day the things that we need, we can begin to rest in Him, knowing that our needs will be taken care of in the future. If there is ever a time when you are feeling unsure, you can rest in His promises to take care of you. Watching the birds get taken care of reminded me of Matthew 6:26 which says this: 

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

•  "Jehovah Jireh" means "The Lord who provides." If you want a reason to praise God, listen to this one. Pastor Tanner explains, "God has met the need to the greatest problem of your life before you totally understand the greatest problem of your life." Such a great sermon!! Click on the link (VNC logo) below:

(pictured above: I was outside when
one of the baby birds was coming out
of the nest to explore the world for
the first time.) I just loved it!! :)
Isn't he precious!?!

Jehovah Jireh

Comfort for when you are overwhelmed by your problems.

"When we look continually in faith to Jesus, not at our circumstances, we will find a tranquility within, no matter what is happening around us." 

This is a quote that my mother has taped up in her bathroom at home. Every time I pay a visit to her sweet little house in Michigan, I see this, and it gives me an opportunity to reflect on how these words capture two of the greatest treasures of my mother--her genuine peace and her sincere joy in life.

Isaiah 26:3 tells us this:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." KJV

Does that sound beautiful to you?

Maybe that sounds oversimplified? 

Read it again, slower.

Isaiah 26:3:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." KJV

. . . because he trusts in God.

Oswald Chambers wrote a devotional that helps to develop this thought further. In My Utmost for His Highest, he suggests this:

"Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him. Then think how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is! Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to 'go out' in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus. You must learn to 'go out' through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God."

Oswald Chambers gives us a great challenge: to "go out in dependence upon God" in everything we do, putting our trust in God as we go. This is a much more powerful statement when we know WHO the God is that we are referring to. It has been my experience that the more I learn about God, the more I grow to trust Him and the more I want to serve Him out of the love I have for Him. So . . . who is God?

A better question might be, "Who is God to you at this point in your life?" Because the truth is God is so many things and depending on what you are going through you may be feeling like you need Him to be one thing more than another right now. Do you need to know that He is your comforter? How about your strength? Healer? Redeemer? Or maybe you need God to be your provider?

As a mother, my children have different needs at different times. When they fall and scrape their knees, I am their comforter. When they are hungry at lunchtime, I am their provider. When one of my children is disrespectful, I become a disciplinarian. I am always their mother, but that word "mother" can mean lots of different things to my children, in the same way that God is many different things for His children. 

My pastor, Pastor Gene Tanner, did a series last December on the names of God. He described several of the common names that the Bible used for God, besides just "LORD." You may have heard of some of them: Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Rapha, etc. It was very powerful for me and so meaningful to dig deeper into what each of those names means. I needed (and still need) a God who could do each of the things that he was describing. I believe I am not alone in that way.

It is for that reason that I am going to take a week to post some of the sermons that meant so much to me last December. Each sermon is just 20 minutes long, and I really think you will be blessed as you listen to each one.

• "Adonai" is a great one to start with because it gets you reflecting on the power of God and the fact that God owns everything, has all the resources at His disposal, and therefore, can take care of everyone and everything. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the weight of your problems, this is going to be a great comfort for you. Click on the link below to learn about Adonai:

Adonai

 

Rest in the Lord.

Jesus Christ is the only One Who is perfectly whole and healthy and balanced and normal. And the more you fix your eyes on Him, the more whole and healthy and balanced and normal you will be. 

        -Anne Ortlund, "Fix your Eyes on Jesus"

Beautiful Scars

 "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much." -Luke 7:47 

A forgiven heart is the fountain of beauty.

A number of years ago I was hiking along the Salmon River and came across a grove of pine trees that had been partially stripped of their bark. I knew from a friend who is a forester that the Native Americans who hunted this area long ago had peeled the outer bark and harvested the underlying layer for chewing gum. Some of the scars were disfiguring, but others, filled with crystallized sap and burnished by wind and weather, had been transformed into patterns of rare beauty.

So it is with our transgressions. We may be scarred by the sins of the past. But those sins, repented of and brought to Jesus for His forgiveness, can leave behind marks of beauty.

Some people, having tasted the bitterness of sin, now loathe it. They hate evil and love righteousness. Theirs is the beauty of holiness.

Others, knowing how far they fall short (Romans 3:23), have tender hearts toward others. They rise up with understanding, compassion, and kindness when others fail. Theirs is the beauty of humility.

Finally, when acts of sin are freely and thoroughly forgiven it leads to intimacy with the One who has shown mercy. Such sinners love much for much has been forgiven (Luke 7:47). Theirs is the beauty of love. -Dave Roper

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me--

All His wonderful passion and purity!

O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine,

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. --Orsborn

(taken from the March-April-May 2012 Issue of "Our Daily Bread")

Give us your eyes Lord.

May God give us the eyes to see the missing, the hearts to care, and the grace to be bearers of His reconciling love.

God will reveal His plans to you.

1 Corinthians 2:9

"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him--
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit."

Be firm in your faith. Withstand the devil.

"Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.
 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."

(1 Peter 5:9-10 The Amplified Bible)

Don't give up on the dreams God has planted within you.

In the far east, there is a tree called the Chinese Bamboo. When you plant it you must water and fertilize it for five years before it grows. But in the fifth year, there is a five week span of time where it will grow ninety feet. The question is, did the bamboo grow ninety feet in five weeks of did it grow ninety feet in five years? It grew ninety feet in five years! Many times we quit watering and fertilizing our dreams during the first four years and miss the blessing of the will of God for our life at the end. When you are tempted to give up, continue to water and fertilize your dreams, plans, and those visions from God that He has placed within you.

1 Corinthians 15:58,

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vein."

How having a strong faith in God could be the difference between seeing God's blessings in your life or not.

The passage that Pastor Gene Tanner (Pastor of VNC in Valparaiso, IN) preached on a while back has been taught to me in several different ways over the past few months. Coincidence? I think not. In fact, shortly after I heard someone else speak about that very same passage, relating it to parenting. It became a transforming story for me during that season of life that God kept bringing it to my attention. It is one I can easily relate to, and identify with, on many levels.

Pastor Tanner preached from Numbers 13:1-14:45. This is the story where God told Moses to send 12 spies to the land that God had promised them-- Canaan. After spying for forty days, the spies were to bring back food from the land and suggest the best plan of attack for taking over the land. When they came back to share their report only two spoke out of their faith-- Joshua and Caleb. The other ten spoke out of their fear and their inadequacies because what they saw reminded them of how terribly small they were. If you are not familiar with this story, you might be interested in reading one of my older posts that goes into more depth on the details of how this historical tragedy all went down, before reading this post.

God has used this story multiple times throughout this year to speak to my heart about how I view myself and my circumstances. God used one of Susie Larson's blog posts on this passage, back in November, to show me that there are times in my life when I have to trust God even when my feelings suggest otherwise, and even when those around me suggest otherwise. This would have definitely been one of those times for the Israelite people. My focus at that time was on how we influence each other (for better or worse) by the attitudes we allow ourselves to possess. My application was that we must practice discernment when choosing who we listen to, and we have to be careful knowing that we will influence those around us when we speak out of our disbelief.

Something different stuck out to me the last time I heard this familiar story.
I found myself wondering if the story would have been different if those other ten spies had faith as strong as that of Joshua and Caleb. I felt like God was telling me that we must intentionally create a spiritual discipline of trusting HIM more than our feelings over and over again in the small things, until it becomes second nature to operate out of that faith with the big things. I want you to think on this for a minute because what I am talking about could be the difference between grabbing hold of the blessings that God is trying to place in your life, and stomping away from them in bitterness, while hanging your head in disappointment!!! That is a VERY BIG DEAL! The stakes can be quite high here. We should be careful not to downplay the radical difference having a strong faith makes!!!

When we do not think, speak, and operate out of our faith in the small things, we are creating a bad habit of focusing inward that will leave us feeling significantly inferior. That is going to be the very mindset that will keep us from boldly grabbing hold of the blessings God has for us.

When we step forward in fear, we feel weak and vulnerable. We start with the mindset that we are hopeless and if we're hopeless then what is the point? I am convinced that no feeling is worse than the feeling of being hopeless. I know, because I have been there. Hopelessness is a "cowering in the corner" kind of feeling that keeps us from experiencing the satisfaction of God's blessings in our lives.

Luke 6:45 says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

You may have heard this children's song sung in your church when you were little:

Oh, be careful little mouth what you say.
Oh, be careful little mouth what you say.
For the father up above, He is listening with love.
Oh, be careful little mouth what you say.

And with Luke 6:45 in mind I say, "Oh, be careful little mind what you think."
Where does your mind seem to go on a regular basis? Or rather, where do you allow your mind to go???
Your mouth is going to give proof of where your mind has been... eventually.
Has God ever placed a blessing before you and you wanted it, but you didn't go after it because you allowed yourself to feel worthless, not good enough, smart enough, big enough, pretty enough, or important enough?? It can be hard to get out of the pit of despair. We find ourselves there when we pull out the shovel and dig up one inferior thought after another. The further we dig the harder it is to pull out of.

Alisha's "You will be blessed by your faith" Progression:

Wherever your mind goes, your heart will soon follow.
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Whatever you pour your heart into, you will soon give voice to.
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The things you allow yourself to say will directly impact the amount of faith you have.
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Faith in God will give you courage when there are obstacles in your life that could keep you from grabbing hold of God's blessings.
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When you act out of that courage, God will move and you will be blessed.
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THEREFORE,
We should "...live by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7) ...

...and that starts with allowing our minds to dwell on God's strength 

and His endless resources more than we dwell on ourselves and our limited resources, trusting that He is working on our behalf and has our best interests in mind as we pray to him, depend on Him, and lean on His strength.

May God bless you in abundance as you develop your spiritual discipline of thinking, speaking, and acting out of your FAITH in HIM!!!

On a side note:
Isn't it so interesting how we can pull so much from one story in the Bible? We are blessed with RICH wisdom when we dig into the Bible and digest all it has to say to us. While I am sure that there have been thousands of sermons done on this passage all throughout the generations, here are just three that have personally impacted me that I would recommend:

• To hear Pastor Gene Tanner's sermon from this Sunday you may click here.


• To hear Adam Stadtmiller (author of the new book Give Your Kids the Keys) talk about what we can learn as parents from this passage, you may click here.


• To read Susie Larson's wonderfully written blog post on this passage, entitled "Silence Your Unbelief," you may click here.