Greening Up the Mountains

By Heidi Ashe

The woods outside my house are beginning to come alive.  Bright green shoots are coming up all over.  My husband calls it undergrowth and sighs. I call it hope and grin.



It feels like it’s been a long winter here.  There’s been cold and dark and death at what has seemed like every turn.  My soul is tired and weary.  In my heart I know that God has been with us in this season, just as He is in every season.  But sometimes I need to see signs of the hope only He can give.



My dad told me once that this time of year is the wettest the forest floor will be all year.  The limbs of the tallest trees are still bare and a few weeks from even budding.  The bushes and things that live on the floor of the forest are getting the rain and snowmelt all to themselves right now.  And they are soaking it in, because soon the sun will rise earlier and stay up longer and the rains will not come as often.  It is this life giving water that will get them through the long months ahead.



My spiritual life feels like that sometimes.  There are seasons in which I hear God loud and clear.  I feel like our chocolate lab Chipper as he laps up fresh ice cold water on a hot July day.  I cannot get enough. My soul sings, I’m bursting with joy and overflowing with patience.



Then come the dry spells.



Where the days are short and night comes early.  Where life’s busyness pushes me too far, too hard.  Where children are loud and I forget that the years are passing quickly because the days just seem so long.  Times where I can barely catch my breath.



Those are the times when I need to see the green at the bottom of the woods.  The literal “greening up the mountains.” It’s then that I need the hope that only He can give.



Sometimes hope comes in the changing of the seasons, flowers blooming or leaves changing.  Sometimes it falls softly like a late spring snow.  Sometimes it’s an encouraging word from a friend or a family member.  Or the reminder of a stone being rolled away and a tomb being found empty.



It’s then that my strength is renewed.

Whiter Than Snow

by Jamie Gunter

Psalm 51:7

“Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow”

My dear Eric grew up not understanding what a skunk smelled like. Bless his heart he was clueless until we moved to the foothills- then he got more than enough of the stench. As did our shepherd Jake- he was skunked several times. When I think back to those late nights in the cold holding a squirming, disgusting, smelly dog as we battled soaping him up and rinsing, I feel queasy and shiver. I felt like I would never be truly clean again. 

Maybe you’ve felt like this- dirty, disgusting, unclean to your core. Impure and unworthy. I know. We all know. Those amazing Christian people you know who are perfect… no. No- they are unclean, disgusting, and dirty… UNTIL. Until they realize Christ has made them clean. Spotless and pure white, like newly fallen snow. WHITER than newly fallen snow. This is the power of Jesus. He loves you so much He became dirty, disgusting, mutilated so that you and I could be whiter than snow. 

Praise God. Listen to Him whispering to you friend. He asks for your tiny seed of faith in Him and He will grow you into something beautifully amazing. You may be in the depths of stench, wretched, awful sin, decisions you know are dirty and dark. BUT He is here! He is among you, walking, whispering, loving. He hears you and sees you. Listen, Look, Reach out to Him. You do not have to walk in darkness- unknowing, questioning, feeling dirty. Be made new! You can be made clean just by asking for the grace and forgiveness Christ provides. 

There is no greater news in this season of Easter, this spring season of new growth. All of us, whether new to faith in Christ or years in, make dirty, disappointing decisions. We all must kneel before Christ and confess our uncleanness and ask for Christ to forgive us and wash us new again. I am so thankful for God’s faithfulness through His son, Jesus. That though we are unclean, impure, dirty and sinful, He is so willing to wash us new and clean so that we can be in His presence as spotless, whiter than snow. 

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. - Isaiah 1:18

Rest.

I'm tired.

I'm the kind of tired that shows up on your face. In moments of where did those lines come from? And when did I start looking my age? I'm supposed to be perpetually 25.

This kind of tired really has nothing to do with the heaviness of my eyelids or the aches in my body. My heart is tired. My mind is tired. Life is good, but life is complicated. Because, well, the world is complicated. The world is imperfect and is full of imperfect people.

That's the recipe of life - 1 cup of good with a pinch of complicated and a heaping tablespoon of imperfection.

And that's okay. Jesus Himself told us what to expect from life:

In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

I'm tired. I need rest.

I don't mean hammock by the ocean rest, either. (Although, if anyone is offering this, I will not refuse. Private message me later.)

I need the kind of rest that calms my heart and my mind. The kind of rest where my soul, the very most inner part of me, takes a big breath and acknowledges her Creator.

Jesus tells me I will have trouble in this world. But He also tells me He has overcome it. He tells me to take heart! Which literally means to be of good cheer.

This cheer we should have isn't something we can create inside ourselves. God has to supply it. Isaiah 30:15 tells us this:

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: 

"Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. 

In quietness and confidence is your strength."

The only way I can cure my aching, aging, this-world-is-one-monkey-short-of-a-barrel-crazy is to return. When I return to my God and find rest in His holy, loving, perfect presence I see clearly that Jesus has overcome the crazy. That He has overcome the imperfect. I will come and sit in His presence. I will be quiet, knowing I need only to be and listen and feel loved. And I will be confident that this is enough. That God will take care of all that I need.

Because here my soul turns upward toward it's resting place, it's home.

I'm still going to be tired. My bones and brain and boy-raising heart need to make peace with the fact that this season of life is putting wrinkles on my face and gray in my hair.

But every day I turn to Him, the One who has overcome, and I whisper, "I'm so tired."

Then another whisper comes back in a burst of love and peace:

Then come, dear one. And rest.

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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

The Blame Game, Shame, and Why that's Not Your Name

by Jennifer Smith

I was thinking of Monica Lewinsky today. Random, right? A friend on Facebook posted an interview with her. As I read the article I was struck by how greatly I identified with her. Like her, my past is full of mistakes.

I'm luckier than Monica, though. Most of my sins have been committed quietly. Only the knowledge of a few or even just myself. She, however, was branded. A reputation. A dirty word. A scarlet letter. "That woman."

Monica says, "The shame sticks to you like tar." Oh, how I know that feeling. Whether or not my past has been ridiculed on the world stage, I know what shame feels like. I know what it is to wonder what a certain group of people think of you because of past actions. I know what it is to have Satan whisper If they only know what you've done, they won't love you.

Shame, Shame. Everybody knows your name.

As I was reading the Lewinsky article my freedom in Christ bounced around like a rubber ball in my heart. I desperately wanted to reach through my iPhone, grab her, and share with her that shame is not her name.

But you, dear reader, I can grab through your screen. God has brought you to this meeting to tell you the same thing He wants to tell Monica:

Shame, shame. It's most certainly not your name.

"Though your sins be as scarlet, I have washed them white as snow" says the Redeemer of the world (Isaiah 1:18). No scarlet letter, only a blank canvas.

My pastor said the most brilliant thing this morning about our past sins. See, it's not that God forgets your sin. It's that He chooses to not remember them. There's a difference. The Creator of the universe, the One who is in charge, chooses to forgive you, chooses to call you His own, chooses to rename you.

Isaiah 43:7 tells us that God will be with all those who are called by His Name. You, dear one, sweet Christian, are most certainly labeled with the Name of Christ.

Shame and guilt are not of God, friends. They are perfectly orchestrated devices Satan uses to tell you that you aren't good enough. Here's the beautiful irony - you're not good enough. But you don't have to be. On Calvary Jesus, in all His perfection, covered you in His righteousness and goodness (Isaiah 61:10).

The next time Satan tries to brand you with the Blame Game of Shame, remind him that's not your name. Your name is inscribed on the palms of God's hands. He says in Isaiah 49:

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands..."

Remind Satan who you are. Better yet, remind yourself of who you are. And that, no matter what you've done, the blood of Jesus is enough to cover it.

God is Doing a New Thing

God is doing a new thing, 
Isaiah Forty Three Nineteen
God is doing a new thing, 
Isaiah Forty Three Nineteen

This very catchy little song that my boys listen to in the car has been stuck in my head this weekend. Over and over it plays, reminding me of some big truths.

Because, sometimes, don't you just feel old? And don't define old by years. Scripture tells us that even young men can grow weary and tired.

But God is doing a new thing.

Before I tell you the new thing I want to share with you some old facts.

At the turn of the 20th century in Mount Holly, North Carolina a little green building was constructed on Main Street. Over the years it was used as a pharmacy, a five and dime, and a photo printing shop.

One hundred years later three young women left their homes in various parts of the Appalachian Mountains.

Two moved to Cullowhee and became sorority sisters. The other went to Marshall.

Another few moves in a series of random events placed them all living within fifteen minutes of each other in and around Mount Holly and the little green building.

Several divine appointments and God-ordained friendships later, the three of them found themselves staring at the front of this little green shop in Mount Holly begging to breathe new life into its walls.

I need you to know the old facts before I tell you the new thing. Because that's the whole point. I want you to understand that this post is about more than what you think it is.

See, because when those walls were constructed over a hundred years ago God knew of the new thing He would do with it in 2016. When those three girls left their homes in the mountains almost two decades ago God knew of the new thing He would do in 2016. When they met in Cullowhee in 2001 and a coffee shop in 2013, when they poured their hearts out and painted on walls and canvases and on their pants, God knew of the new thing He would do in 2016.

This is what I want to tell you today, especially if your new thing hasn't happened yet: it will. God is always preparing circumstances and situations and little green buildings. He is always aligning meetings and creating new desires and forging new opportunities.

When a new thing comes from God you can't make it happen. You can't will it to happen. He just decides that it's time. He remembers that it's time for your new thing. He's the One who makes the move and you can only wait on Him. But the waiting is worth it because His ways are so much better than anything you have planned for yourself.

Andrea and I have looked at each other over the course of the last three years and said, "What are we doing? We're supposed to be doing something. What is it?"

Our only answer was that God would tell us when He wanted us to know. And on Wednesday morning, the For Rent sign in that little green building told me:

God is doing a new thing.

So this summer we say goodbye to A Place to Land and hello to Create In Us. We will be working to restore our shop back to it's former glory while offering our community a space to create, congregate, and be inspired. We will have retail space for our own original artwork and creations. This incredible space will allow us to bring you all of your favorite classes, but to larger groups. Our new three person partnership will also allow us to expand our list of art and creative classes. (Personally, I can't wait to start my weekly middle school girls bible journaling class! Details on this will be posted soon!)

With keys in hand in the next 48 hours we will begin remodeling while still holding classes at A Place to Land through May. We covet your prayers, your knowledge, and your advice while we embrace this gift He has given.

God is doing a new thing.

Now let's watch it spring up.

Unexpected Losses

Have you ever lost a game you were sure you'd win? Maybe literally. Maybe metaphorically.

But you woke up one day feeling on top of the world and by day's end that world was totally shattered?

I am a die hard Panthers fan. I have loved and followed them since the early 2000s when my then-boyfriend and now-husband watched every game with fierce intensity.

The success of my team this year has been celebrated, criticized, marginalized, praised. Most sports commentators and pundits believed the Panthers would come out on top in the big game Sunday night.

Cam is a force to be reckoned with, NFL MVP. Our defense and their record speak for itself.

As a city, Charlotte was celebrating a victory before Sunday was even here. Not out of arrogance, but out of sheer belief that no one was better than our Panthers.

But then Sunday night came and something was off. Be it the officiating, turnovers, dropped passes, etc.

I was so sick to my stomach over the loss that I couldn't bring myself to watch the after-game ceremonies.

I woke up this morning to footage of a devastated Cam walking out of a press conference and a crying Josh Norman.

And oh my...I know how these fellas feel.

See, this is where football can teach you about life. And that anything...even something as trivial as the loss of a game can point you back to Jesus.

Because I've been there. I've been sailing through life, happy, free, obedient to God and then in the short span of one day, my life got rocked, rolled, and broken into pieces.

And all of the sudden you're sitting in the rabble and smoke-rising mess and thinking How did I get here? 

I'm doing my job, Lord. I'm playing my best, my joyful best. I'm succeeding at the plans You've given me to accomplish. Lord, why did things not go my way?

Friend, I am in no way equating the trials and losses of your life to a lost football game, but I am saying there's a lesson to be learned.

When we don't win the game. When life crumbles around us in totally unexpected ways:

We have to make peace with it.

This is where you are now. The shattered today is where you stand, not the perfect yesterday.

And that...man, that stinks. But it's where you are.

So the question is: Where do you go from here? Do you rehash, reexamine, replay all that could have happened differently? Maybe. Maybe for just a minute.

But then you move on. Because the only way through a shattered, unexpected mess is through.

To get through it, you've got to walk through it.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. 

Isaiah 43:2

I try to live my life in a way that sees Jesus in everything. I look for Him in everything. So last night as I was cleaning up our Super Bowl party, my prayer was this:

What did I learn? God, help me to see what I learned.

And here it is. Just as art imitates life, so does football. The crushing blow to Panther fandom serves as a poignant reminder of crushing, more real, more devastating blows to our lives.

And those millionaire football players will shake off the loss, take some time to heal, and look at the game through a different lens.

We've got to do this, too. Regroup, heal, and learn to see life differently. And as hard as our hurts and losses are, they are ours. We can't deny them.

So let's use the loss. Let's let it redefine us as we walk through it, let it mold us into something stronger, larger, and bolder.

Because I want to walk in His higher ways, travel His higher paths. And higher definitely doesn't mean easier. Most of the time higher means harder.

And that's okay. My Panthers will come out of this loss even better.

And we will come out of our losses better, too. My prayer is that we use our losses in such a way we will be thankful for them.

Oh Father, help us see our losses as gain.

What's in a Name? ( An Open Letter to My Sons )

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.

Proverbs 22:1

Dear Wyatt Edward and Morgan Bascombe,

Naming the two of you, being the writer of your names, is my favorite piece of work I've ever committed to paper. That paper being your birth certificates. Your Daddy and I prayed over your names and knew we wanted more for you than to have the cool, trendy "Baby Name of the Year" with the perfect amount of syllables. We wanted your names to reflect your family, your God, and your future.

It's been snowing these past two days. I've had time to sit in front of a fire place with a cozy blanket, wearing my favorite purple knit beret and write to you about your names. Because names are important. They don't make us into who we are automatically, but they give us something in which to aspire. My precious sons, these are my aspirations for you.

Wyatt Edward:

You are unlike any person I know. Your incredible wisdom sometimes causes you great sensitivity and even anger. I'm sure it's confusing to have such insight about such a world at such a young age. (This I write as you are telling fart jokes to your little brother.)

Wyatt means "brave in battle" or "warrior." We chose this name for you because your dad's name means "warrior," too. And this is my hope for you. That you will fight and be brave, carrying the banner of the LORD wherever you go, knowing he is a Rock and a Fortress and a very present Help in times of trouble. Hope and faith in a living God will make you brave. Use these gifts of courage to change the world. You are so capable of it.

Edward comes from your dad's grandfather, Ralph Edward Smith. His middle name was actually Edmund at birth, but he hated it so much he told everyone it was Edward. And I'm glad he did. Edward: "wealthy guardian." Because you are. No wealth in terms of earthly riches...sorry. Your parents are a pastor and a teacher. But in terms of the great love and knowledge of Jesus, you are the Bill Gates of heavenly riches. Billions on this planet yearn for the knowledge you've gained already - that the whole point of this life is to glorify a good and saving God. Guard this wealth with your whole heart. Let it be your treasure. Guard this wealth against impurity, cowardice, and superiority. A guardian knows what his treasure is worth. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) And how I pray for your heart to be His.

Morgan Bascombe:

You are joy and fun. You are happiness. You are the twinkle in an eye. You are a giggle and a shout all in one. You are a Momma's Boy in the best sense of the term.

Morgan Earp was a younger brother whom Wyatt Earp loved dearly. We wanted you, too, to be a dearly loved brother of a Wyatt. (And you are.) Morgan comes from the Welsh "Morcant," Mor meaning "sea" and cant meaning "circle." A sea-circle. Both endless. When you think of your name, think of how beloved you are to your Mother and Father, how our love for you is as "boundless as the sea." But even more so, remember God, the Creator of the sea who loves you. He considers you a far loftier and beloved creation than any of the waters on earth.

Bascombe is the middle name of my grandfather, Posey Bascombe Glenn. It was also the middle name of his father. Your great Uncle David's middle name is Bascombe, as well. No one else in the family carried it, so we can only assume it came from a family friend or a notable figure of the day. Bascombe is a very old surname. It came with the Normans to England when they conquered it in 1066. Their coat of arms states, "Nothing is too difficult for the Faithful and Brave." And your faith in God's goodness, mercy, salvation, and the hope He brings to all people will provide all the bravery you'll ever need. Fear is not an option to those whose faith is placed in the Lord. "But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." (Isaiah 43:1) You are called of God and have been redeemed by Him. My prayer is that you feel His call all throughout your life and own your rights as a fellow heir of Jesus Christ.

Boys, we do not immediately become the meaning of our names. Some people never know the meanings of their names. But you do. They were carefully crafted while you were being carefully crafted in the womb. Your names call you to great things in the Lord, to forget yourselves and to fight for a Savior who gave His life for you. Time in this world is dwindling away and there are so many who do not know the riches and fullness of a life lived in Jesus. So you, my boys, go and live out your names. You faithful warriors, you guardians, you who are dearly loved.

xxoo
Mommy
January 2016

O Come, Emmanuel

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").

Matthew 1:23

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

This is my favorite Christmas song. A strange choice, is it not? Neither cheery nor upbeat, it definitely fits into the solemn category.

But every Christmas Eve, as I hold my lighted candle during a worship service, and sing this to God I feel it in my bones. This deep need put into words and notes and chords. A song that speaks of the lost who are longing to be found.

When Jesus came to earth as a newborn baby the people of Israel had not heard from God in over 400 years. Can you imagine? Remember this was a time before the Holy Spirit was gifted to believers. The veil was still in place in the temple to keep the presence of God apart from His people.

I know what it feels like to be in exile, to be lost and alone. I know what it is to mourn, to feel a loss so great that like a wave crashing over you no air can get to your lungs.

So maybe this is why I relate to this song so much. Israel is not the only one looking for Emmanuel - we all are. We all feel a little lost and alone and mourn with all our hearts to be saved, to be rescued.

But that's where the similarities with us end. We, who sing this song in the mindset of 2015, have a very different perspective from the people of Israel 2,000 years ago.

The difference? They were looking for Him, but we have found Him!

That's the thing about this song, as mournful as it may sound, it's message is of hope. And it will meet you wherever you are today:

I am filled with sorrow, but He has come!
I am angry, but He has come!
I have been betrayed, but He has come!
I carry shame and guilt, but He has come!

Emmanuel. Not only has He come, but He has stayed in hearts by way of the Holy Spirit. Emmanuel, God is with us.

Oh, beloved. Emmanuel came to earth. He died a sinner's death in my place. He arose from the dead, thereby conquering it. He lives in all of us who believe in Him.

So, this year, as I pack away Christmas ornaments and vacuum pine needles off of my floors, I will remember. There is no need to mourn, no need to feel lost. My circumstances may take my joy for awhile. Life may not be ideal today, but I remember the message of hope from the song that may sound the least hopeful -

I long for a Savior, One who is good and true and faithful. One who can vanquish sin and death. One who can right wrongs. One who can deliver me from evil.

But the wait is over! He has come.

Emmanuel is here.

Consider it Joy (to the World)

This is the season of joy, right?

Joy to the World! The Lord has come! 

Good tidings of comfort of joy! 

But what if, during the Season of Joy, I feel anything but joyful? What if life has thrown me a curve ball and the unexpected or the unwelcome has happened? What if the joy in my heart has faded?

If you're anything like me you've walked through these times of joylessness. We realize during these times that joy isn't vital to brainwaves and heartbeats, but joy is vital to living the way God intends us to live. We are called to abundant, joyful lives as Jesus tells us in John 10.

Oh, Lord. The circumstances of life have taken my joy. The path You have called me to walk brings a sorrow to my life. So what do I do with the darkness and pain You've let me encounter?

Beloved, consider it joy.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

Or, as the Message version translates it:

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Here's the thing: we don't always get to pick the paths we walk down in life. God directs our paths and these paths are not always well-paved and peaceful. Sometimes the path God chooses for us seems dark and painful. Sometimes the Way is not the way we would choose for ourselves.

But it's not our call. Isaiah 30 tells us that even when we "eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction", His presence will be with us saying, "This is the way, walk in it."

So maybe God has called you down a bramble and thorn-filled path, but we are to consider it joy, a gift. We are to rejoice in our troubles because God is using them for good. God uses our troubles to make us better, to refine us.

This path, friend, counts for something. Your pain, your sorrow, your loss. It means something. God loves you enough to make you uncomfortable. He loves you enough to lead you through the valleys, so your mountaintops will be sweeter.

I don't pretend to know why God has asked you to walk through your particular trial. But I do know that your trial is very precious in the sight of God. I know that He has promised to walk with you through it.

I also know He has told you to rejoice and have joy in your trial. Your trail will deepen your faith and deepen your need for Him. 

And when the road is finished and the time of darkness has passed, you will have been shaped into a new and better version of yourself. A version that does not depend on circumstances for your joy. Instead you'll be someone who finds joy in one place and one place alone. 

Because, as the song says, the moment the Lord came, angels declared joy to the world. Our joy, true and deep and real joy, comes from Jesus alone. 

So, consider it joy, friends. Consider the path He has called you to walk as joy. Each sad and painful step will lead you closer to Jesus.

And knowing Jesus is knowing the best kind of joy there is.

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Savior

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy

"Comfort, comfort my people,"

    says your God.

"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

    and proclaim to her

that her hard service has been completed,

    that her sin has been paid for."

Isaiah 40:1-2

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."

Luke 2:10

I wonder what the world looked like on the night Jesus was born. Not the landscapes or the climates, but its heart. What was brewing inside the heart of men? Had God forgotten His people? The physical night was dark, but darkness was settling into the hearts of mankind, too. Whether a member of the Hebrew nation or not, I wonder if those living on the earth felt a lack of....something.

A lack of purpose or hope or redemption.

Or Comfort and Joy.

We've got some basic needs in this human shell we live in: food, water, shelter, oxygen, clothing. But there's something about the lack of comfort and joy that make daily living almost impossible. Without comfort and joy we have to remind ourselves to breathe or to get out of bed in the morning.

There are times when you're without comfort of mind and spirit as you walk through dark days and other times when the joy of your heart seems to have disappeared. Comfort and joy do not give us physical life, but friend, they most certainly give us abundant life.

And Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

Our good and gracious heavenly Father sent His Son to provide even more than the salvation of our souls and He wishes to supply more than just our basic needs. He sent His Son to provide you with tender comfort for your hurts and doubts, and great joy for the beautiful hope that is ahead of you.

On that dark night when the angels appeared to the shepherds with their words of Good News, they were exclaiming more than precious eternal salvation, they were telling us that in this life, as we wander in this human form, that there is much to be had here, too. That comfort and joy are things God wishes to give us now.

My human shell walks through times of plenty, health, success, and prosperity.

But it also walks through times of sorrow, uncertainty, fear, and longing.

But through all these seasons there is comfort from a Good Father and joy in the hope of the Coming Christ.

So, this Advent, let me be the first to say to you, no matter what season you may find yourself, dear friend:

I bid you good tidings of comfort and joy from a Good Father and a Coming Christ.

What Has He Brought? Why Has He Brought It?

I've done something that I believe is contrary to the laws of nature and moral order. I fought my heart in this and demanded that it take a different direction.

But, alas. I was compelled:

I'm going to talk about Christmas before Thanksgiving.

Sigh.

I'm a firm believer in keeping the two sacrosanct. I tried to conjure a sweet message of Thanksgiving, but this message of Christmas hit my heart quickly this morning. The Lord supplied it with very little effort from me.

So here I am, bidding you to jump into Advent this week. I hope you'll forgive me. I hope you'll come along.

My favorite passage of Christmas scripture is Isaiah 9. I love it for so many reasons: it is powerfully prophetic and unyielding in it's truth. I love this scripture because on the night of Jesus' birth perhaps the very words of it resounded in the hearts of Mary and Joseph.

Let's read:

2 The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9 asks two questions and just as quickly answers them.

What has He brought? Why has He brought it?

A summation of this passage tells us exactly what Jesus brought:

Hope. Joy. Freedom. An end to all wars. A righteous and just reign from a wise and brave Ruler. An everlasting Kingdom where humanity is wholly loved. Peace. Fulfillment of every promise made by the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Justice for all evil and goodness to replace it.

Friends, we will stand in praise for eternity because of what Jesus brought. This is reason enough for a forever of singing, shouting, dancing, laughing, celebrating.

But the second question and it's answer is enough to bring you to your knees. It is reason enough for an eternity of sincere and breathtaking heart-song to a Holy and Good Father.

We know what He brought. Why has He brought it?

Let's look again at verse 7. The very last line.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Why has He brought all of these perfect gifts? Because of the zeal of the Lord.

See, the Lord is a God of honor. What He says He will do, He does. He is honor bound to Himself, to His Son Jesus, and to you and me, His people.

He is intensely passionate about the promises He has made to you. Why?

A man much smarter than me, John Gill the 18th century philosopher, said this:

"...and his zeal or fervent love to his people will put him upon all this, since it is for their good, as well as for his own glory, and the honor of his Son."

He made you good promises, promises He knew He would be mandated to keep simply because...He loves you.

The greatest minds and theorists, philosophers and scholars, can wax poetic and create highly sophisticated notions on why Christ came, but it only and simply boils down to this:

Love.

He brought you good things because of His great love for you.

As the world cried out in sin and hopelessness, sweet redemption was born in a stable.

What has He brought? Why has He brought it?

He brought perfect love. Because of His perfect love for you.

The God Who Sees Me

I sing because I'm happy. I sing because I'm free. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.

What a lovely thought. A beautiful hymn that speaks to the care our Father in heaven has for us. How He supplies our needs, gives us comfort, shares His joy and light with us.

His eye is on the insert-your-name-here.

But there's more to it than that. He doesn't just watch you...he sees you.

Is there a difference?

I watch my children all the time. Watching means (and I quote, from dictionary.com): to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens.

I'm watching my children for their well-being: their views on YouTube, the speed of the their go-cart, how high they jump on the trampoline, how close they get to the road, how rough they get when wrestling, how much juice is in their cup. I say things like, "Please put your clothes back on," and "The dog is not a horse." Or this week's favorite, "Stop hitting the watermelon with that stick." (I promise that was a real thing that happened.)

So I watch.

But I also need to see. Dictionary.com (how did we ever live without the amazing technological convenience that is dictionary.com?!) says to see is to perceive with the eyes; look at, with perceive meaning "to recognize, discern, envision, or understand."

Beloved, God watches you...but He also sees you. He looks at you. He is aware of you, recognizes you, understands you.

I picture dear Hagar alone and scared in the desert (Genesis 16). An Egyptian noblewoman, most likely, given as a gift to Abram and Sarai. From Egyptian courts to a slave in the desert. She runs away from camp, desperate to escape Sarai's hatred of her. The angel of the LORD finds her there and comforts her, making her beautiful promises of God's faithfulness to her.

Hagar gives God a name, El Roi, the God Who Sees Me. This little woman. A slave. A displaced foreigner. And she was the first person in the entirety of Scripture to give a name to God. An honor for her to be sure.

Just as God saw Hagar in the desert thousands of years ago, God sees you, too. He sees you at your job when the boss won't give you credit for a great idea. He sees you when your son smarts off to you making you cry. He sees you as you scrub spaghetti from the carpet and wash countless loads of toddler underwear and pants because it's potty-training time. He sees when you've created a beautiful piece of art, a colorful flower bed, or a gourmet dinner and no one recognizes how hard you've worked.

Beloved, when you fall into bed at night feeling alone and craving the least bit of recognition, you've got it.

The God-Who-Sees-Me sees you. And, oh my, how He loves you. Jesus came to earth for you, not because He felt sorry for you, but because He understands you. Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart."

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me. Happy and free indeed is the one who God sees.

Lord, create in us a heart that realizes it is seen by You.

Bright Hope for Tomorrow

This morning after church I stood outside with one of my best friends (Big shout out to Vicki!) as we watched our children play. Well, really we watched my two year old son make questionable play-time choices like eat discarded ice off of the sidewalk and throw rocks into the parking lot. Close by, watching his every move, was Vicki's two year old daughter, telling him with her facial expression, "Morgan, you are making terrible decisions with your life."

Vicki and I talked, as friends do, about kids, finances, and work. We agreed that the older we get the more we see how nothing in life is assured. In the past six months I have witnessed in the lives of my friends and family health scares, chronic illness diagnoses, the loss of babies, the loss of spouses. 2015 brought with it the realization that nothing in life is certain. Nothing is guaranteed.

And this, my friends, is a complete bummer.

Unless, you see things through an eternal lens.

Isaiah 65:17-19 tells us that when Jesus returns and comes to reign on earth all will be well. Better than well. All will be made perfect:

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more."

Wyatt's Bible, The Children's Storybook Bible, sums this verse up in one beautiful sentence:

"All things sad will become untrue."

Can you imagine it? Every physical or emotional hurt, disease, or ache of lost loved ones will be forgotten and in their place restoration will be given. Restoration of good health. Restoration of those lost. Pain gone. Children returned to empty arms.

Maybe this seems far-fetched. And maybe some would chalk it up to the stuff of fairy tales. But A.W. Tozer in his book, Pursing God, tells us this:

"God and the spiritual world are real. We can reckon upon them with as much assurance as we reckon upon the familiar world around us."

I want to believe in things I haven't seen. I want to hold fast to sweet promises made by a good God. And I want to share with others what this world so desperately needs: hope.

Strength for today. Bright hope for tomorrow. Blessings all mine with 10,000 beside. Great is His faithfulness, dear one!

In this world we will have trouble. Jesus Himself said so. But our hope and our faith are well placed in Him because, "Take heart!" He has overcome this world (John 16:33).

And all those sad things? He will literally make them disappear. Because in the new world in which I will live there will be no illness, no dying. Not even a bad day.

This seen world we live in now is made of flimsy paper at best. But that unseen world that is coming is made of rock, made to last forever.

My paper life here will be torn, it will be ripped, scribbled upon, and crumpled up.

My rock life there is solid, assured, and certain. It cannot be damaged, eroded, or weathered. All will be restored.

All sad things untrue.

Lord, may it be so.

Higher Ways

I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy being the only girl in my house. Two sons and their Daddy.

One Mommy.

Dusty says this makes me the princess. (Why do I feel this is said with a large measure of sarcasm?)

Sarcasm or not, there is something royal-like about being the only female presence in the family. I have a different perspective, different ideas. And, so sweetly, all three of my boys from the grown up Daddy to the two-year-old son appreciate and even revere my femininity.

Maybe I am the princess after all.

But Mommy is certainly not sovereign. Sovereignty means to have supreme power and authority. This is not the way things work at my house. We definitely seek to have a supreme leader over our household, but it's not me or even my husband, who is, in all ways a kind and fair head of our family:  I hope we live with God alone as our Sovereign.

With sovereignty comes a hefty responsibility. If you are the sovereign leader over a people you are responsible for every area of welfare in their lives. In short: the buck stops with the sovereign.

And God, my Sovereign, is okay with that. He's okay with being the source and supply of our every need. He, as King, will never fail you, as subject.

Life can be hard. Bad news, bad feelings, bad days, bad disease, bad loss, bad times, bad luck. Your Sovereign is not King over a fairy-tale earth.

But, your Sovereign, through all the bad, has made you, His subject, good promises:

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. 

Romans 8:28

From His lofty throne, high above our simple peasant land our King sees all and knows all. Therefore, I can put my complete trust in Him, lay down my will for His and live in beautiful, quiet submission to a God who knows much greater things than I do.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways

My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher

than the earth, so are My ways higher

than your ways and My thoughts higher than yours."

Isaiah 55:8-9

Heaven is higher. Literally and figuratively. 

God is not sovereign for tyranny's sake. Not sovereign for greed's sake. Not sovereign for injustice's sake. God is sovereign for love's sake.

Charles Spurgeon said, "When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head."

I concede to my Sovereign who sees what is best for me and gives me this best freely, even if it looks differently than I think it should. 

I trust in my King who takes my bad and turns it into my good.

I believe in my Prince who does not shout chants of war over my life, but calms with whispers of peace. 

He sees all from His heavenly throne. He sees me. And because my faith is well placed I will quiet my spirit and find rest in submission. Submission to my Sovereign will lead to complete peace in my life even when things, by earthly standards, should be far from peaceful. 

Far be it from me to not believe

Even when my eyes can't see

~Bethel Music, "It is Well"

Lord, may it be so.

The Sun and the Son

I am cold all the time. Unless it is a solid 80 degrees in a room I will need a sweater. Or better yet, a Snuggie. I have just resigned myself to the fact that from October to April wearing cute clothes is not necessary because they will be covered up by a large coat.

Do you know what the absolute best feeling is to this cold-natured gal?

Recess at 12:30 every day.

Stepping out of the school building onto the playground and feeling the bright, warm sun shining on you. You know that kind of warmth I'm talking about. The Vitamin D almost tangibly soaking into your skin?

I see it in every child as they reach the door. The walk becomes a run. The quiet, inside-voice becomes a shout. The "I just took another assessment" face becomes the "I'm a kid again" grin.

I mean, even the smallest child knows that all living things need the sun, right? I can ask my five year old: "Buddy, what does a plant need to grow big?"

"Water and sun." (He's a genius! Surely some famous botanist in the making.)

Kidding aside, even a Kindergartener knows that living things thrive in the sunlight.

So, ahem. An ode to the sun:

I love the sun
Not because I can see it
But because I can feel its warmth
It reinvigorates my weary bones
Brightens my perspective
Makes my heart take a deep breath
Reassures me of goodness
Chases away the blackest night
In the sun, I find the source of my very existence
In its light is my very life

Now, I bet if you listed all the reasons you love Jesus it would read exactly the same way.

Let's try:

I love the Son
Not because I can see Him
But because I can feel His warmth
He reinvigorates my weary bones
Brightens my perspective
Makes my heart take a deep breath
Reassures me of goodness
Chases away the blackest night
In the Son, I find the source of my very existence
In His light is my very life

Matthew 4:16, referencing Isaiah 9:2 says this:

The people living in darkness

have seen a great light; 

on those living in the land of the shadow of death

a light has dawned.

Before Jesus came, the world had been living in a long, dark night. Clouds covered the moon. There was not a star to be seen.

But He came. And He ushered in the dawn.

Then He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

Because the weight of darkness is heavy.

But the light of Jesus is light - as a feather.

I hope we realize that before Jesus came we walked in the valley of death. There was no mercy, no grace, no future.

We walked in cold, darkness.

But then! He came and all these things were supplied - in abundance.

Job 38:19-20 says,

What is the way to the abode of light?

And where does darkness reside? Can you take

them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwelling?

I know where darkness lives. I've seen it in the world. I've seen it in me.

But, I know where light lives, too. And True Light only lives with my Jesus. Because He is that light. 

See, the sun and the Son have much in common. They renew. They reveal things unseen in darkness. In their presence I draw strength. In them is life.

This week is Holy Week. The week we remember the days and events leading up to the resurrection of Jesus. I need to prepare my heart for such a celebration. So today and every day this week I will:

Dwell in light.

Choose light.

Look for light.

Darkness has no place with me. I am a child of Light! (Ephesians 5:8) 

Again, Jesus spoke to them saying,

I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.

John 8:12

The Light of the world lives in me. I would do well to remember it.

Precious Jesus, Light of the World,

Create in us a heart that is aflame with holy light.

Lord, may it be so.

The One Who Loves You More

To be perfectly honest, I'm a take-it or leave-it kind of gal when it comes to Valentine's Day.  Now I certainly love celebrating love, but I am not a big fan of hype.  And Valentine's Day never quite lives up to what is anticipated as things with much hype tend to do.  (I'm serious.  Think about this past New Year's Eve.  Expectation:  glitter, champagne, fancy clothes.  Reality:  Cheetos, Ryan Seacrest, and your footie pajamas.  Bed by 9:30.)

While I may not put much stock in Valentine's Day, I do put much value in being loved.  Don't you feel it in your chest, in that space above your heart? The desire to be loved?  Not just respected or admired (although these things are of the utmost importance, too), but to be loved?

I'm not just talking about romantic love.  Love comes in many forms - from parents, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, children, and spouses.  When you feel someone love you with pure, unapologetic abandon - this is a beautiful thing that answers a need in your soul.

There's a reason love makes us feel so good.  Genesis 2:18 tells us that God made Eve for Adam because it "wasn't good for man to be alone."  Jesus commanded us in John 15:12 that we are to "love one another" as He loved us. And, my goodness, let's not forget I John 4:8:  "God is love."  Simple - you feel love, you feel God Himself.

The love humankind has for each other is God come down to dwell with us, in us.  My dear grandmother, who will be 97 this month, lives the most authentic relationship with Jesus I have ever seen or may ever see in my life.  A few years ago she dreamed she was in heaven.  While there in her dream she said, "I felt love flowing through my veins."

Love, my friends, is the language of heaven.

And God speaks this language to us now every time our heart thumps with emotion at those He has sweetly placed in our lives.  This is something to be treasured.  But if we think this serves as our fill of love we are sorely mistaken and missing another, more valuable treasure.

My mother tells a story of the day my second son was born.  She still had not arrived at the hospital when I was being wheeled into the OR for a c-section. She recalls crying in the car and whispering to God, "But she's my baby.  I should be there.  I'm her mother."

Jesus tenderly whispered back, "But I'm her Savior.  I love her more."

I think of my husband.  He woke up three times with our crying two-year-old last night.  Why?  Because he wanted me to be able to sleep.  That's love.

But there is One who loves more.

Can you picture your mother?  She packed your lunches and probably still calls you every day.  She prayed over you with tears during your most trying times. That's love.

But there is One who loves more.

How about your dad?  My father-in-law once drove an hour and fifteen minutes to help my sister-in-law hang a shower curtain rod in her new apartment. That's love.

But there is One who loves more.

Think about your dearest friends.  My friend Jennifer will ask me if I need help for an upcoming event before I can even think to ask.  That's love.

But there is One who loves more.

And what about our precious children?  Whether they share our last name or are only ours during school hours or Sunday school time.  A hug from a peanut butter and jelly covered five-year-old?  That's love.

But there is One who loves more.

These precious people God has placed in our lives are just the ultimate, aren't they?  Joy-inducing, heart-bursting, honest-to-goodness gifts.

But none of them left a heavenly throne, suffered at the hands of evil, and overcame death for you.

See, Jesus loves you more.

Revelation 19:11 tells us the story of "the Rider on the white horse."  He is dressed in white and leads the armies of heaven.  He comes to earth to vanquish evil and wipe away the tears of His people.  He is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Maybe you've been fortunate enough to receive the love of spouses, mothers, fathers, friends, and children.  Praise God for those blessings!

But maybe you've been hurt by lack of love.  Suffered the loss of a mother or a child.  Never knew your father.  Were betrayed by your best friend.

Friend, if that latter category is familiar, boy do I have good news.

You see, that Rider on the white horse?  Our precious Jesus?  Revelation also gives Him another name:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, 

whose rider is called Faithful and True.     

(emphasis mine)

And there He is, the One who loves you most.  And He is not confined to things we humans are:  to death, abandonment, loneliness, loss, betrayal.  Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38).  Nothing.  Because His love is limitless and carries no trace of human weakness.  His law?  It's pure love (2 John 1:6).  

In His perfection He has committed Himself to you.  He has named Himself for you - "Faithful and True to (insert-your-name-here)".  

And your name?  My friend, it's engraved on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16).  

So let's celebrate the people whom God has placed in our lives.  Let's love them and appreciate them.  But in a place of honor, held high in our hearts, let's celebrate Jesus. 

Because He loves you more.

Oh, Faithful and True:

Let us remember that Your love is Perfect.  Let us remember that You will never leave us nor forsake us.  Why?  Because it is against Your very nature.  It is impossible for You to let go of what You have claimed.  Let us return Your love in the best ways we can:  by recognizing it and showing obedience to Your Law.  The Law that just happens to be love, too.

Lord, may it be so.