On the first day of the seventh month observe a special day of rest, and come together for worship when the trumpets sound. Present a food offering to the Lord and do none of your daily work.

The tenth day of the seventh month is the day when the annual ritual is to be performed to take away the sins of the people. On that day do not eat anything at all; come together for worship, and present a food offering to the Lord. Do no work on that day, because it is the day for performing the ritual to take away sin. (Leviticus 23:23-28)

This week is very important in Israel, and to Jewish people everywhere. It marks their High Holy Days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, analogous to Christian Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Easter.

In the Bible, Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, is also called the Feast of Trumpets. The feast begins the Days of Awe with the blowing of the ram's horn shofar, calling God's people to repent from their sins. The celebrations continue for ten days of repentance, culminating on Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. On this final day, Jewish tradition holds that God opens the Book of Life and studies the words, actions, and thoughts of every person whose name is written there. If a person's good deeds outweigh or outnumber their sinful acts, his name will remain inscribed in the book for another year.

Rosh Hashanah is also the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, as well as the initiation of humanity's role in God's world. Apple slices dipped in honey are served, symbolizing hope for the sweetness of the coming New Year. Rosh Hashanah provides God's people with a time to reflect on their lives, turn away from sin, and do good deeds. These practices are meant to give them a more favorable chance of having their names sealed in the Book of Life for another year.

This year, however, this solemn feast also marks the one-year anniversary of the unprovoked attack on Israel that left 1,200 Israelis dead and more than 230 people as hostages. As the war spreads and violence increases, it is important for Christians to remember that the Jews are still God’s chosen people, Israel is still the Promised Land, and Jerusalem is still God’s city.

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” (Deuteronomy 7:6)

“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:3-5)

“O Lord, you have chosen Jerusalem as your home: “This is my permanent home where I shall live,” you said, “for I have always wanted it this way.” (Psalm 132:13-14 Living Bible)

It is very true that God gave us all a new and permanent way to salvation in Jesus Christ. As Jesus himself said to the woman at the well, “You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:22-23) Jesus is the only way to God because he is the incarnation of God. Nevertheless, eventually the Jews will embrace Jesus as Messiah. Paul speaks of this in Romans 11:25-29:

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;
    he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
And this is my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”

As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

As Christians, it is important to remember this overarching principle which should guide all our interactions with and prayers for everyone in the world: “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.” (Colossians 3:1 NLT)

Shalom & Shanah Tovah (Peace and a Good Year),

Jen

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

(1 Peter 2:9)

The Bible warns us not to develop a big ego and “do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” (Romans 12:3) And there is no doubt that humility is a constant struggle. However, I have found that the opposite is also often a problem – not grasping, acknowledging and abiding in our actual status in Christ.

That passage of Romans continues, “but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Paul asks us to be realistic in our assessment of our talents and gifts. But when it comes to assessing our worth, God has a whole other criterion, one the world rarely uses. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) So what does your heart look like?

If we’re honest with ourselves we are all too aware of our faults and failings, struggles and secret sins. We definitely would feel uncomfortable standing before God waiting to be His anointed. In Jeremiah 17:9 even God says, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Yikes!

But Peter calls us “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” And Paul describes us as role models: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Philippians 2:14-16) So which is it? How can both be true?

It's all about being ‘in Christ.’ If we are in Christ, then He is in us. His precious blood covers our sin, and His Holy Spirit resides in us to comfort and guide us. This allows us to be reconciled with God so that He no longer sees or remembers our sin and shame, but instead sees us as righteous. In Christ we are no longer sinners, but saints. In Christ we have been adopted into God’s family as sons and daughters of the King who will all inherit His kingdom. In Christ “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) In Christ we are more than conquerors. In Christ we will spend eternity in God’s presence, whole and perfect, just as in the Garden of Eden.

“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT) As we mature in Christ, we become more Christlike. Less of us and more of Him. Today, when you look in the mirror, you know what you’ll see? A reflection of Christ which you can reflect out into our weary, faith-starved world every day.

You are royalty! You are a precious, worthy, worthwhile Child of God, full of spirit and power, created to do good works and advance God’s kingdom, and He will use you for that purpose. Know this truth, treasure this truth and live out this truth daily.

Your sister princess in Christ 👑,

Jen

Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes!
Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Psalm 150:4-6

I’ve always loved the arts. They’ve been the area of my greatest joy and greatest success. My family was a very arts and crafts family, my parents’ specialties being woodworking and needle arts. As an only child I had plenty of time to let my imagination run wild –drawing, writing, singing and dancing just to amuse myself.

Later I slowly came to understand that some talents and subjects were more practical and useful than others, especially in the working world. The school system and my parents tried hard to make me a practical person. Alas, their efforts failed.

It was hard for me to justify pursuing the arts as a vocation, or even an avocation above all the other things that would make money or serve God better such as lawyering, administration, finance, grant writing, teaching, directing non-profits, etc. But as I continued to read the Bible, I began to see evidence of the value of the arts and craftsmanship to the Lord. Craftsmen and women wove and embroidered cloth and worked wood, metals and precious stones to make the Temple and all the things used in it. Singing and dancing and making music to the Lord was well established by the time Miriam led her praise parade. David was writing poetry and music while he was still tending sheep. The Bible itself is a masterwork of literature and poetry, with wordplay and double meanings that we are still unravelling centuries later.

God is the Creator. And it only makes sense that He inspired us with His breath of life to be creators too. Art, music and dance communicate to our hearts and souls in a deeper way than words. As they say, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ One of my greatest joys in discovering the Bible was finding all the poetic word pictures used to describe complex ideas. For instance, thinking of God’s kingdom as a lush garden reveals so many truths, and that metaphor just goes on and on (sowing and harvesting, pastures, vineyards, the of water of life, fruits of the spirit, trees, soil, etc.)

I have come to believe that Beauty is a representation of God in as much as it is a representation of love. Many war movies have a scene where the horror of war is contrasted with music or art. I often wondered at that. But whereas war represents the worst of humanity, a Bach concerto represents the highest and best of humanity. It’s quizzical that mankind is capable of both. But it is not quizzical that God would be pleased to be praised with music, dance, art or poetry dedicated to Him. It is His creation using the spark of creativity He gave to us to return the praise so richly deserved by our Lord and Master. Perhaps it is our spirit calling out to His spirit within us.

This is definitely the intention behind Liturgical Dance. Some of our United Women in Faith recently attended a workshop on Liturgical Dance. It was a little awkward removing our shoes and our inhibitions in order to praise God with our whole bodies. The movements were simple and symbolic in order to communicate the meaning of hymns on a more profound level than mere words. The leaders told us stories of worshippers who had unexpected emotional responses to the dances. I don’t doubt it. After the nervous laughter faded, we all had pretty profound responses to the dances ourselves. Perhaps one day we’ll have the nerve to share one during a worship service.

In the meantime, expand your concept of worship to include your imaginative and creative side. There are many ways to give it a try. There are Bible coloring books that allow you to creatively color scripture as you meditate on it (so fun). There are Bibles designed to be doodled in, so you can illustrate your own favorite scriptures, or use stamps and stickers. Sing your favorite worship songs and make up your own dance moves (my favorite while doing dishes or cleaning house), or be more intentional and start a project dedicated to the Lord (woodworking, quilting, painting, drawing, sculpting, knitting, etc.) I know the prayers and praise that go into all my illustrations, and into Erica’s beautiful tapestries that adorn the altars, into all the handmade items sold at the Holiday House Bazaar, and into the prayer shawls donated to the Care Committee. These are wonderful ways to glorify God with the creative talent He has breathed into each of us. Or write a song, poem or devotional and send it to me here for everyone to enjoy! 😉

Happy creating,

Jen

“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” (Genesis 8:22)

God gave us the moon to mark the seasons, each for its own purposes. And now the most magical of all seasons has arrived – Pumpkin Spice Season! Love it or hate it, it seems it’s here to stay, arriving as early as August now.

There are many kinds of seasons: seasons of our lives, seasons of waiting or illness, planting season, harvest season, holiday season.

Traditionally autumn is harvest season, although that really depends on the crops. But whether it’s summer, late summer or fall, one thing is true about all harvests – as soon as they’re ready we have to bring them in. We can’t leave the fruit on the vine, the stalk, the tree, or underground too long or it will spoil. If we want the fruit of our labor, we have to pause everything and harvest that crop.

In many parables, Jesus likened making disciples to planting and harvesting. But his heart for lost souls was perhaps the most evident in Matthew 9:35-38: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

This is really the first statement of the Great Commission. Jesus asks us to become migrant workers, moving from mission field to mission field harvesting souls for God’s kingdom. And we are to pray for more workers to help bring the harvest in. When the harvest is ready, there is no time to wait. We must work hard and get as much help as possible to bring in the harvest while it’s ripe. If the harvest of lost souls was ripe in Jesus’ day, how much riper is it now that the Day of the Lord draws even nearer? We don’t want to leave even one willing soul to wither on the vine.

One day we will close our eyes and harvesting season will be over. One day the Lord of the Harvest will blow the final trumpet and all reaping will stop. We will feel joy at the abundance of the fruit of our labor seeing all those in Heaven because we planted a seed, tended a sprout or harvested a crop. And we will feel regret for those we coulda, woulda or shoulda reached and didn’t. With regular mail, email, Zoom, What’s App, Facetime, and all the various social media apps, there’s never been so many ways to reach so many people without even leaving the house. And besides that, our fields right in our own community are ripe for harvest. So pray to the Lord of the Harvest and ask Him to send more workers into His fields – and ask Him to point you to the fields which you can reap. And grab a cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte on the way! 😉☕

Happy Harvesting,

Jen

It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may even be that someone might dare to die for a good person. But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! By his blood we are now put right with God; (Romans 5:7-9)

A total of 441 first responders were killed on September 11, 2001, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, port authority personnel and more. They were not already in the buildings. They did not board an ill-fated commercial jet. Unlike the thousands who senselessly died that day without a choice, the first responders ran towards the danger, into the fiery infernos, into the immanently collapsing buildings with one purpose in mind: to save as many lives as possible even while risking their own.

Rescuing people is not easy. Our fight or flight response causes people to react in many counterintuitive ways. Children often hide in small spaces, some people freeze completely, some resist violently, some endanger the life of the rescuer as they are being rescued. Not to mention that many rescue situations are still extremely dangerous: homes engulfed in flames, flood torrents, rip tides, active shooters, battle, etc. To be so dedicated to saving lives that one would choose to go toward what everyone else is fleeing is amazing to me. I’ve spent 35 years of my life with one of them, and I still find it miraculous that people do it.

Perhaps that’s why the story of Jesus’ sacrifice touched me so deeply when I first heard it and still does. Jesus didn’t have to accept His mission from God. The Bible makes it clear that it was His choice to obey God. At so many points in His life He could have chosen a different path and saved His life. He could have remained a carpenter, had a family and died peacefully in Nazareth. He could have bowed before Satan and become a wealthy world leader. He could have listened to the advice of His apostles and stayed away from Jerusalem and the angry religious leaders. He could have renounced His claim to be the “I AM” in front of the Sanhedrin, or the ‘King of the Jews’ in front of Pontius Pilate. He could even have called for the angels to rescue Him from the cross.

Accepting His calling wasn’t easy. How many times did He look over the needy crowds pressing into Him and feel compassion for them? How many times did he feel frustration that even His own apostles, weren’t grasping His crucial, life-saving message? How many times was He so exhausted He had to go off and refresh himself through night-long prayer sessions? How many times did he narrowly escape imprisonment or stoning from angry crowds? How many miles did he log on dusty, rocky roads wearing only sandals?

He sacrificed His time, His talents, His finances, His family, His home, His employment, His reputation, His comfort, His control, His future, and everything He was and ever would be, all for God’s glory. Only once do we get a peek at how exceptionally stressful facing His final ordeal truly was:

“Then he went off…and knelt down and prayed. “Father,” he said, “if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:41-44)

Bloody sweating is a real medical phenomenon called hematohidrosis. Rarely, in people suffering from extreme levels of stress, blood vessels around the sweat glands can constrict. Then, as the anxiety passes, the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The sweat glands push the blood to the surface, which comes out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat.

Now, if Jesus was willing to voluntarily suffer all of that for no benefit of His own, but merely to benefit sinners and enemies of God, can’t we endure some discomfort, some persecution, some doing with less, and trusting God more? We, who are heading towards an eternal home in Heaven, owe Jesus EVERYTHING.

We were not innocent victims, but guilty people facing a certain eternity in hellfire. Our fight or flight response wrongly told us to flee from God, to run away from the Truth. Or else to attempt to hide from the reality of our sin and our need to be saved. Jesus risked everything to come and rescue us – even when that rescue meant losing His own life.

Just before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus deputized us all as Spiritual First Responders, giving us the command to go and rescue the perishing, bind up the broken, and save the lost. May we have the courage, the strength and the compassion to take up our commission as bravely as the first responders on September 11, 2001.

Be bold,

Jen

A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

Proverbs 24:3-5

As kids head back to school, it’s worth reminding ourselves what school is, and what it isn’t. In law school we read many school-related cases. The Supreme Court determined that free public education was necessary to create good citizens for our country. Later, the Supreme Court decided that our country was not a ‘Christian nation’ when it created ‘Separation of Church and State.’ The exclamation point on that was the removal of prayer from public schools. Love it or hate it, this is the reality we live in.

Our public schools teach many important subjects that will help students become good citizens: reading, math, social studies, physical education, music, art, etc. But here’s what they DON’T teach: the Fear of the Lord. “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7) Schools can impart knowledge, but wisdom comes from God with a focus on making Christlike disciples. James 3:17 explains what godly wisdom is:

First, godly wisdom is pure. Our world might promote envy and selfish ambition, but godly wisdom has a pure motive which involves doing what is best for others.

Second, it is peace-loving. Selfishness and greed can start a war or tear a family apart, but God's wisdom values peace over getting our way.

Third, it is gentle. Gentleness is having strength and power but having them under control so that when we have the opportunity to hurt or take advantage of somebody, we won't.

Fourth, it is submissive. Being willing to yield to others means being willing to listen and to learn. To be submissive is to be humble and teachable, not a doormat to be walked over, but meek, so that your strength is guided and submitted to God.

Fifth, it is full of mercy. Mercy means not only forgiving those who wrong us, but also being willing in our hearts to help them.

Sixth, it is full of good fruit. Jesus taught us to judge a tree by its fruit. We cannot fake the Fruits of the Spirit – they are the result of having the Holy Spirit live within us and teach us.

Seventh, it shows no favoritism. Those who live by worldly wisdom cannot be impartial because they are always trying to please themselves or someone else, but those who live by God's wisdom are impartial and authentic.

Eighth, it's sincere. A sincere person is genuine, not wearing a mask and not a hypocrite. A sincere person is trustworthy and faithful.

Teachers do a very hard and admirable job of molding young minds into good citizens. But it is up to us to mold young hearts to be Christ-followers. A heart submitted to God controls itself. A heart submitted to God puts others’ welfare first. A heart submitted to God lives for Him, to please Him, not itself. God’s wisdom is the True knowledge. Make time to teach God’s wisdom to the children you influence, and to develop it in yourself. Image what the world could look like if we all lived out these lessons!

PRAYER: Lord, place Your hand of protection over all the schools, students, teachers and staff. Give an extra dose of perseverance to God-loving teachers who do their best to exhibit Your wisdom every day in their classrooms. Help me also display Your wisdom in my life, in all that I do, and to all that I interact with. Amen.

Blessings,

Jen

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Proverbs 31:30-31)

It’s a strange time in our country now. There are many notions of gender and gender roles flying around. As a kid growing up in the 70’s I was surrounded by women’s empowerment. We were the generation that could “bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan.”

My mother was one of the few moms that stayed home with the kids. By the time I made that choice it was actually frowned upon.

By the time my kids reached adulthood, they were repeating what they heard in college and on social media: that Christians believed in the subjugation of women. They suggested that to get married, stay home and raise children was wasting a woman’s true potential for happiness in life.

To me, however, a strong, independent woman who is entrepreneurial, nurtures her family, has compassion for the needy, speaks with wisdom, is resourceful, radiates inner beauty and exhibits a love for the Lord, is a woman who is definitely reaching her potential. That is the woman who is described in Proverbs 31:10-31, a chapter that celebrates the value of a wife and mother – a value beyond rubies!

I definitely recommend you read the whole thing, but here are some of the highlights:

Entrepreneurial – she is forward thinking as she combines her creativity, skills and hard work to make a profit. (vs 13-19)

Homemaker – she runs her household wisely and nurtures her family. She makes winter garments, bedspreads and fine clothes. (vs 12,14-15, 21-22, 27)

Service – she serves the poor and needy and helps with charitable endeavors. (v 20)

Dignified – she has inner strength, and she knows when to hold her tongue and when to speak. And when she does, she gives wise and kind advice. (v 26)

Resourceful – she is ingenious about getting the most out of what she has, and she saves and makes plans for the future. (vs 21,24,25)

Inner Beauty – she doesn’t rely on charm or good looks, but instead radiates an inner beauty that comes from her deep faith. (vs 30)

Righteous – she is praised for her virtue, her love of the Lord and her desire to serve Him. (vs 10,29,30-31)

This is not a picture of a woman who is a slave to her husband or weighed down by family life. She runs the household, earns money, gives to the poor, is respected in the community, gives wise counsel and keeps plenty busy while looking good and praising the Lord.

Personally, I have met many of these women at our church. I’m not so sure our church or the community could function without them. They don’t all stay-at-home, they don’t all have husbands or children, and they certainly don’t all wear purple, but they do all radiate an inner beauty that is impossible to miss.

I can’t say where our culture is headed, and I certainly can’t speak for all women. But when I became a Christian as an adult, I looked for guidance as to how to live a godly life as a woman, a wife and a mom. The advice I found in the Bible, particularly in Proverbs 31, has served me well and led to a full and fulfilling life. I have found that God cherishes women and elevated their status and value despite the reality of a patriarchal world culture for most of history.

But beyond that, God values and cherishes all people - male, female, non-binary, all races, all ages, all nationalities, all identities. He has given us His Son to make salvation open to every single person on the planet, and He has given us His Word to help us find Him and to learn how to live in a way that will bring us the most purpose, the most joy, the most fulfillment, and bring Him the most glory. The choice to embrace or ignore all that is up to us.

Blessings,

Jen

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

(Judges 6:12, 15-16)

I have led much of my life ruled by fear: fear of failure, fear of success, fear of embarrassment, fear of disappointing others, fear of rejection, etc. This fear has led to some very self-limiting beliefs.

A self-limiting belief is a state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. These beliefs are often false accusations you make about yourself that can cause a number of negative results. “I can’t speak in public.” “I’m too old to get in shape.” “I could never go back and get my degree.” “I can’t be a missionary.” “I can’t write a devotional.” 😉

This is the battlefield of the mind where our past experiences and associations mix with lies from Satan and others in our lives to form false narratives and self-limiting beliefs that keep us from living the full, abundant life that God has called us to. Satan is delighted with this because it keeps us on the sidelines of our own lives, never being all we can be. But an important part of our salvation is being made ‘whole’ which includes living our best lives as the best version ourselves living up to our highest potential for the glory of God.

So many times Christians hear people criticize the Bible for being ancient and irrelevant. However, digging deeper you can find inspirational stories of average people overcoming fear, depression, self-doubt and all kinds of limitations to do amazing feats for God because they moved into the realm of belief.

No self-limiting belief can stand in the face of Almighty God. “Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”” (Luke 18:27) “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

So, the next time you face God’s vision for your future and hear your script recite the familiar excuses, or hear Satan whispering the self-limiting lies, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ (3 times!)
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was promiscuous
the Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once...)
Zacchaeus was too short
Paul was too religious
Timothy had stomach problems...
AND
Lazarus was dead!

(unknown author)

So, no more excuses! No more self-limiting beliefs. No more believing the accusations of Satan. Cling to the promises of God. God created you for a purpose. He created good works for you to do. God can use you to your full potential, which only He knows. And remember, in the end it’s not about you. You aren't the message; you are just the messenger.

Don’t stop believing,

Jen

I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.
I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.

(Psalm 119:11,15-16)

You know the old saying, “You are what you eat.” It turns out it’s totally true. Every nutrient in your food is stored as energy or used to replace dying cells, so that in about 7-10 years you have a brand new you! That cheeseburger didn’t just go to your thighs, it BECAME your thighs!

If this is true physically, it’s even more true about what you consume spiritually. There’s a cute Christian kids’ song that goes:

Oh, be careful, little eyes (ears), what you see (hear),
Oh, be careful, little eyes (ears), what you see (hear).
There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,
Oh, be careful, little eyes (ears), what you see (hear).

And wow, is that true. From birth, our brain creates millions of neural pathways. Neural pathways are groups of nerve fibers that connect neurons in the brain, allowing signals to be sent between different parts of the brain and nervous system. These pathways are essential for many functions, including learning, forming habits, how we experience emotions and sensations, and interacting with others. The more we use a particular pathway, the more automatic it becomes until you’re arriving at your driveway, and you can’t remember the drive home.

This is terrific for everyday actions and things we need to constantly remember, but it becomes difficult when the pathway is a bad habit, a bad memory, or a negative association. Retraining our brain is possible, but it’s definitely a challenge. One helpful way is by using daily affirmations, or motivational words or phrases to stop us going down the same old paths – “Just Do It,” “One Day at a Time,” “My past doesn’t control my future,” etc.

It’s the same with our souls. If we fill our souls with negative news, constant criticism, books, shows and advertisements promoting greed, selfishness, laziness, lust and worse, we are going to have a sick spiritual condition. We’re the temple of the Holy Spirit, so imagine how starved for goodness He would feel. Instead we must do like the Psalmist and “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2) That’s a command from us to our soul telling it to bless or praise the Lord, even if we aren’t really feeling like it.

“Mindset” is a hot topic these days. A mindset is a collection of a person's attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about themselves, culture, values, philosophy, and more. Mindsets can determine a person's behavior, outlook, and mental attitude. A good, positive mindset is invaluable as an athlete, but it’s every bit as useful for us as we seek to turn our hearts and minds to Jesus every day, and away from worldly distractions screaming for our attention. Luckily, our User’s Manual, the Bible, has some helpful mindset advice:

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” (Hebrews 3:1)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)  

“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:23-24)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8) 

How to keep your focus on things above? Daily effort – but the effort doesn’t have to be difficult or unpleasant. Read a couple chapters in the Bible daily. Switch your radio to a Christian music or teaching station. Trade out some of your paperbacks for Christian teaching or fiction. Click the TV channel over to a Christian network occasionally. Check out Christian music, teaching, comedy or entertainment on-line. Join a small group for study and accountability. Get into a Bible study. Come to church! Take on a job at church (there’s plenty). Pray from our weekly prayer list. Find a mission that speaks to your heart and devote some time to it weekly. Keep reading these Devotionals.😉 The only limit to the ideas is your imagination!

Happy meditating, thinking and delighting,

Jen

But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.  Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

 Mark 4:37-40

God is a friend we can trust! That is our Bible point for this week at VBS. And it’s oh, so true. But do we? Do we really?

I’m trying to watch the news again. It’s hard because I want actual news about what’s going on all over the world, not just in Washington, DC.  Well, spoiler alert, A LOT is going on around the world. And most of it is shocking, troubling and unnerving. But ALL of it is out of our control – totally and completely out of our control.

I’m pretty laid back, and I don’t much need to be in control. But I do have an aversion to thrill rides that lift you up and drop you down in a free-fall for a random number of stories for a random number of times. That’s the aptly named Tower of Terror. And lately the news is giving me that same sort of woozy feeling. HOWEVER, I know that God is not in Heaven watching the news and wringing His hands. I’m sure our behavior is grieving His heart, but it is not a surprise. He knows the whole story of history, and He wrote the book on it!

Jesus gave us the perfect object lesson when He took a little boat ride and tried to squeeze in a nap after a long day teaching huge crowds. His crew of seasoned fisherman were well acquainted with storms on the sea. But notice that when THIS storm came up, they were on the Tower of Terror, rising up and falling down, only with gallons of water pouring in. In fact, it was so bad that they didn’t cry out to Jesus for help. They were already convinced they were goners. They shouted, “Don’t you care that we’re GOING to drown?!”

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like some of my prayers. “Hey, Lord, don’t you see what’s happening down here? I thought we were pals. Are you really going to let me (fail, suffer, die, be sick, go bankrupt, grieve, etc.)?!”

All of those storms of life happening, just like the storm surrounding Jesus’ boat – terrifying, dangerous, and completely out of our control. “God! Where ARE You?!” “Oh, you’re right here in the boat with us…chillaxing on a cushion. What?!?”

And with a word, the storm stops, the waves calm, and Jesus looks at us and says “Why were you so afraid? Didn’t I tell you I’ve got your back?” Well, that’s a paraphrase, but God DOES have our backs. God is a friend we can trust. And Jesus is a friend who loves at all times, in any kind of weather, fair or foul.

Now, God, in His wisdom, doesn’t always calm the storm. But He can calm the storm in us, and give us peace or comfort, or discernment. And no matter how bad the storm might be, He’s always in the boat with us.

PRAYER: Lord, give me the strength to hand over my fears to You, and find true, abiding peace in the midst of life’s storms, no matter how scary, knowing that even if I have to go through them, you will be with me. Help me to remember that it’s not about me, and to just trust and obey. Amen.

Your all-weather friend,

Jen