The Real Enemy

My James study is coming along nicely (Thank you, John MacArthur commentary.). Thanks to everyone who continues to pray! God is showing me some really wonderful things in His Word. And, once again, I'm so thankful for dear friends and good writers who are visiting us on the blog while I'm away. This week's guest is Kayla Cook, my sense-of-humor twin. We could stay in our own little bubble, talking and laughing, for hours. I know this is true because recently we stood outside an abandoned RiteAid (Don't ask.) talking about Donald Trump for a lengthy amount of time.

We also have the same sophisticated taste in pop culture as you'll see below. Happy reading.

Jennifer
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I'm a middle school teacher, so it should come as no surprise to you that I love middle school things.  The Biebs, Pretty Little Liars- they're my jam.  (I can feel you judging- really, it's fine.  I've accepted that I'm a nerd.)  Also on my list of middle school madness:  The Hunger Games series.

If you're not familiar with The Hunger Games, I'll give you time to google a synopsis.  (Go for it.  I'll be here all night ;-) ).  In the second book and film, Catching Fire, there's a point towards the end where Katniss (our heroine) has been separated from her love interest, Peeta, and it seems that her allies have turned against her.  This is a fight to the death, so the situation is fairly dire.  She hears Finnick, one of her allies (maybe?) shouting her name, and she gets a clear shot of him through some brush.  Katniss is an excellent archer; she has her bow pulled and her arrow ready to take flight.  Just then, she and Finnick make eye contact, and he says ever so clearly, "Katniss, remember who the real enemy is."

It was around Christmas time and I sat crying in the front seat of my husband's car because the holidays can be difficult for me as a 20-something recovering pleaser who is still newly married.  How in the world were we going to be in 38374 places at once?  And we can sing all that "all I want for Christmas is you", a la Mariah Carey, but what we were really singing in our hearts was "all I want for Christmas is you and for you to go along with all my family's traditions because I want those for Christmas too".  And while we sat in silence waiting (hoping?) for the other to be the first to offer compromise, I heard that precious whisper in my heart, not from a fictional character, but from the Lover of my soul:  "Remember who the real enemy is."  Hint:  his name is not Garrett Cook.  Nor families who wanted us to be in 38374 places at once.  Or anyone else I've met in the flesh.

See, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12).  In the words of Priscilla Shirer in her book Fervent (stop reading this blog and go read her stuff immediately), "The real enemy isn't your husband.  Or your teenager.  Or your brother's wife.  Or your mother-in-law.  Or the weather.  Or your sweet tooth.  Or whatever powder keg of frustration really gets under your skin and sets you off before you can think straight."  We have an enemy, and he's real, and he's strong.  But Jesus is stronger, and when we belong to Him, the enemy has lost us for eternity, but that gives him all the more reason to mess with our here and now.

In the interest of being transparent, my heart has been bruised this week.  And for the first time in quite a while, I've found myself having to really fight for a soft heart.  To deliberately choose to show up and choose grace for myself and others.  To choose love over anger.  To consciously decide to remember who the real enemy is.  Jesus is the only one Who is perfectly faithful, and He is asking me to make these choices.

And so I do.  I make these choices sometimes through tears, which Jesus lovingly collects (Psalm 56:8).  I make these choices because when Jesus asks me to do something, I trust that His purpose is good and His heart is for me.  He loves me and He proves that love over and over; obedience is how I show I love Him back.

This week, when conflict erupts in big ways or small ways, when things get janky (janky:  a middle school term for busted and jacked up) and have to be made right, when you've been hurt or you're the one who has done the hurting (we've all been on both sides, by the way)- remember who the real enemy is.  And if he's working this hard, what amazing things is he trying to keep us from?  I can't wait to find out.

Run Your Race

I know I said I'd be posting reruns while I'm writing the Bible study, but what I didn't think about was that I have awesome friends who are incredible writers. So instead of Evergreen posts, the blog will have guest writers through June. Our first is from one of my favorite friends, Hannah Clements. This girl is my personal minister and she speaks to my heart so eloquently.

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If you are in education or have kids in school, you know the race of the year is almost over. Things are winding down and stress levels are winding up. End of year testing is in the midst and final lessons are being taught. All the while, middle school students revert to kindergarten behavior and teachers nearly lose their minds.

Personally, I nearly thought about quitting - not finishing the race strong but just strolling through just to get by. I lost my caring and listening ear and truly didn't care if she called him a chicken nugget and he called her a tooth pick. (This happened, friends. Middle schoolers in May.)

But then my own motivational talk to a classroom pierced my own tired human heart. “Imagine I am running a race, does it make sense to stop running and stroll to the finish line when I can see it in sight? To start walking when the end is near after you ran your fastest and hardest the other part of the race?” I asked a classroom on middle schoolers with glazed eyes. “No! Of course not! If you were running a race, it is the end where you scrounge up every last bit of energy and run faster and harder than ever before to cross the finish line."

Then I remembered for about a week, I stopped running and started strolling. I gave up. The stress and drama won. But oh how I want my students to finish strongly, to hang in there and to not give up (in this race and in their next) and oh how I can't give up on my own beautiful, sometimes difficult race.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” - Hebrews 12:1

Jesus has called us to run the race that is set before us to the very end. Not to just meander through but to RUN. To love even when it is hard and they are not lovely. To give grace when grace has already been given 180 times before. To speak with kindness when the spoken words feel like they are on repeat. To carry joy like a banner even when our banner is worn.

Friends, we are surrounded by witnesses. Sometimes those witnesses fill our classrooms or our homes and are watching our every move. Let us strip off the things that slow us down - our bad attitudes, complaints, short temper, and carelessness and let Jesus replace those with His goodness for they are watching us.

Teachers, parents, believers, our race isn't to just make it through. Whatever your race may be it is one of great purpose. Purpose with each step of the way. RUN it as if you were doing it for Him.

Oh Lord, this race is long and I have grown weary. Renew my strength and replace the things that slow me down with joy and righteousness. Thank you for this beautiful race. May I seek your face and see your glory each step of the way.

Amen.

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

I'm Writing a Bible Study...

So, I'm a little crazy. Amidst the opening and preparation of the new studio in Mount Holly I've decided to write my very first Bible study.

Because there are 28 hours in a day, right? Right?

Kidding aside I'm super excited to take this step in my writing ministry and I hope you'll come along beside me. Sunday, June 19 here on the blog and on Wednesday, June 22 at Depot Church we'll begin the study of the book of James. This 10 week study will carry us into August. You can read more about the study in the introduction below.

Study guides will also be available for purchase by emailing me at the blog or contacting me through Facebook. Additional copies will be available at Create in Us Art Studio and Depot Church. Copies are just $5 a piece. Pre-orders are taking place now and you'll receive your copy by mail or by me before June 19. The sooner you order the better, so I'll know how many copies to order.

The study guide will feature 20 pages of hand lettered and watercolor text and art complete with response questions, prayers, and space for notes.

While I'm writing this study I will have to say goodbye to weekly blogging until the study starts up in June. I'll still be posting your favorite past posts as Evergreen posts each Sunday night.

So, let's start praying. Please pray for me as I write my first ever study. Pray that I will receive wisdom beyond my own ability. I will be praying for each of you, too. That Jesus will use the book of James to transform the way you see the world, yourself, and Him.

Let's get started.

James

Practical Wisdom

for a 

Present World

A 10-week study

When Jesus arose from the grave He appeared to lots of people. Many personal encounters

are recorded in the New Testament: His reassurance to a doubting Thomas, His forgiveness

given to a repentant Peter, His hope given to the heavy-hearted on the road to Emmaus. 

I Corinthians 15:7 says Jesus appeared to James as well, but that encounter isn't described.

Why? Well, as Beth Moore says, "Because it isn't any of our business."

See, Jesus and James had some things to discuss. Not only was James a follower of Jesus, 

but he and Jesus shared physical blood - they were brothers, both the sons of Mary.

Even before we read a word in the book of James some things have been revealed to us:

James was of personal importance to Jesus.

Jesus was of personal importance to James. 

Because Jesus is a personal God.

James saw Jesus not only as brother, but also as Christ. And James sought to teach others

that a personal relationship with Jesus is the only way to live life.

James the book is described as a New Testament Proverbs, a book of practical living

that transcends place or time. 

James knew Jesus, possibly more than any other human ever did. He never went a single day 

of his life without knowing Jesus and this shaped his life in radical ways, causing him to do

radical things for God's glory.

James the book calls us to this same relationship and teaches us that knowing Jesus 

personally can cause us to do radical things for God's glory. 

So let's start our study, let's commit to reading, responding, and praying over this book

for 10 weeks. It's a real book for real people who want to know 

what walking with Jesus should look like. And who better than James to teach us?

Seek It Like Silver

One of my favorite books as a child was Anne of Green Gables. I carry many parts of this book with me as an adult. I think of Matthew and Marilla every time I hear the words “brown sugar” and often call my dearest friends “kindred spirits.” Anne taught me that asking questions was good and daring to answer questions was even better.

In this book a delightful question is posed by Anne and that question, for the first time in my short life, made me think philosophically (I was also reading The Babysitters Club, so this was not a common occurrence). Anne asks:

“Which would you rather be if you had the choice--divinely beautiful or dazzlingly clever or angelically good?”

My ten year old self (being the good, church-going girl I was) thought: I’d really like to say pretty, but I guess I need to say good. Because God wants me to be good.

I still think that’s a great answer, but as a grown up girl I think God wants more for me than just being good. So I change my answer. 

I want to be dazzlingly clever. 

Well actually, I want to be astoundingly wise.

See, I crave wisdom. I’m after it every day. And I don’t just mean knowledge or facts or know-how. I want to know the best, most merciful, most Christ-like reactions to any given situation. (Now granted, I don’t always use this wisdom. Just ask my husband.)

Today is Mother’s Day and my pastor asked me to do a watercolor print for all the women at church as their Mother’s Day gift. I knew exactly the passage I would paint because I was extremely excited to letter the word “rubies” in this delicious red color from my watercolor kit. So I painted:

She is worth far more than rubies.

As I finished the scripture I realized I needed the reference, so I Googled it. I was fascinated to learn this verse is mentioned twice in Proverbs, once in 3:15 and once in chapter 31 describing the revered Proverbs 31 woman. Well, if the chapter 31 verse was describing a godly woman, what was 3:15 describing?

“She” in verse 3:15 is describing, you guessed it - wisdom.

When I think of wisdom my mind immediately turns to Solomon, who when asked by God what gift he would like to have, Solomon wisely answers, “Wisdom.” God is so pleased with his answer that He gives this gift to Solomon and also makes him the richest man who ever lived.

So if wisdom is so perfect to have, where does it come from? I mean, can I study and become wise? Can I learn to be wise? If we listen to James 1:5, it says very clearly where the source of wisdom is. Not only does God give it directly to Solomon, we hear this:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

The source of wisdom is God Himself. Scripture clearly tells us that if we want wisdom we should ask for it boldly and truly it will be given to us generously.

Solomon wrote this in Proverbs 2:

My son, if you receive my words
   and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
   and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
   and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
   and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
   and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
   from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
   he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
guarding the paths of justice
   and watching over the way of his saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
   and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart,
   and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
discretion will watch over you,
   understanding will guard you,
delivering you from the way of evil,
   from men of perverted speech,
who forsake the paths of uprightness
   to walk in the ways of darkness,
who rejoice in doing evil
   and delight in the perverseness of evil,
men whose paths are crooked,
   and who are devious in their ways.
So you will be delivered from the forbidden[a] woman,
   from the adulteress[b] with her smooth words,
who forsakes the companion of her youth
   and forgets the covenant of her God;
for her house sinks down to death,
   and her paths to the departed;[c]
none who go to her come back,
   nor do they regain the paths of life.
So you will walk in the way of the good
   and keep to the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will inhabit the land,
   and those with integrity will remain in it,
but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
   and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

I carry a silver key on my keychain. It has one word on it - wisdom. Because I need to remember. I need to remember that wisdom is a conscious decision. I can choose to be wise or I can choose to turn away from wisdom. Wisdom isn’t about an IQ or an SAT score or a GPA. It isn’t something I either have or I don’t - it’s something that is mine if I choose to take it.

So grasp it boldly, friends. Just as Solomon says, if I want to be wise the first thing I should do is fear the Lord and know just Who’s in charge. Wisdom is actually admitting that I don’t know, but in the same breath saying But I know Who does.

We face that question Anne asks us every day: what do I want the world to recognize me for?

My outside appearance?

My smarts?

My peaceful demeanor?

It is up to me what the world sees when they look at me. And I choose to be wise. I seek it like silver. Because, I don’t know anything. And the admitting of it is exactly where wisdom is found.

All knowledge belongs to my God and He keeps it stored up for me. Not because I’m smart enough to obtain it, but because I simply asked for it.

Grace Jelly {An Evergreen Post}

My oldest son, for better or worse, is exactly like me. He is inquisitive, creative, and wholly excited to live life.

But, like his dear mother, he has a one-track mind, a tendency for the dramatics, and a decided opinion on the right way to do things.

We run joyfully through life, Wyatt and I, but sometimes we trip over obstacles in our way - those obstacles usually being our own two feet.

Tuesday was a tough day at the Smith house. Wyatt pulled a red card (RED!) in Kindergarten that day. Once he was home the behavior did not improve. Long story short, he was sent to bed early without his night time snack (a truly horrid punishment to any five year old).

At this point I, being his emotional doppelgänger, was HOT. Done. Yelling, angry, out of patience. My patience wasn't running on fumes - the tank was dry and the car of gentle, kind Mommy was five miles back down the road. I sat down on the couch replaying everything the child had done that day.

But...pitter patter. I heard his feet coming to the bedroom door. Creeeak - the door opens. And there, staring out at me from the darkened bedroom, are two big blue eyes. Just like mine.

My husband (always the voice of reason): "Jennifer, he's scared in there."

Begrudgingly, I walk down the hall. I hear his little feet running back to bed. (The same little feet that had tried to kick me a few minutes before.)

I walk to the bed and lay down, and there he is, weeping tears of repentance onto his pillow. "Mommy, I'm sorry I was bad today. I'm sorry."

I tell him I love him. That it's my job to make him a good person. I reassure him. And then I ask if he's hungry.

The silent nod - yes.

He humbly walks to the living room and sits on the carpet. I walk to the kitchen and fix toast. Dry toast.

He's been bad, right? I mean, I'll feed him, but he doesn't deserve his normal, frosted strawberry Pop-Tart.

"Mom, can I have some grape jelly?"

"No. This isn't a fun snack. This is just to fill your belly and then back to bed."

Another nod from my boy, accepting his punishment.

But then...my heart. My repentant child. Who, in earnest came to me. Admitting sin, accepting responsibility. Accepting his dry, tasteless toast.

I take his toast and walk back to the kitchen, open the refrigerator door, take out the jelly. And I slather it on.

And, in that moment, that jelly becomes something altogether different.

It became Grace Jelly.

Because, you know what? I too have been the weeping child, admitting guilt. Accepting the condemnation. But, my Father? He forgives freely, with joy, and offers me grace in abundance. I serve a God who walks my weeping, guilty self into the kitchen and offers me food.

And do I even need to ask?

He gives me toast, cut into triangles, no crust, and spread corner to corner with sweet, filling Grace Jelly.

Hosea chapters 5 and 6 tell us that when we come to the Lord in earnest repentance He will "heal us (6:1)."  As big as my sin is, His grace is still bigger (Romans 5:20).

My Father is the best and most perfect example of parenting. What is good for Him is most certainly right for me.

So my sweet son ate his toast and grape jelly.

Because, his mommy, who he is so much like, has been given Grace Jelly many, many times before.

And I will certainly eat it again.

Grace, grace, God's grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within

Grace, grace, God's grace

Grace that is greater than all our sin.

~Julia H. Johnston