There's a Lesson In This

While so much fun seeing all of our families, this Christmas season was long and tiring.  After traveling three weekends in a row we were all so ready to be home where the kids could play with their new toys and we could all sleep in our own beds.  And then on our second day home the littlest wakes up with a stomach bug, followed by the oldest, then mommy.  :(  Not exactly how we planned to enjoy our new toys and time at home, BUT there's a lesson in this . . .

During our driving this holiday and in the days leading up to the New Year, I took some time to sit and consider what I wanted out of this new beginning.  I put in some extra prayer time and Scripture reading and while many were coming up with words for the new year, I felt like God placed this little phrase in my mind - work smarter, not harder.  You see, I'm from the mindset that in order to expect big things (and really feel like you're doing anything worthwhile), you have to work hard and put in the time.  Unfortunately, this mindset has left me strained, stressed, and overwhelmed.  Not to mention feeling like a failure in many areas of my life.  God's gentle instruction opened up a whole new idea.  Slowly He's been showing me to put Him first, follow where He leads, and do only what is needed in each area without going overboard (I often dive in head first and want a years worth of work done in about an hour, just ask my husband!).  

While my children have been sick, I've done countless loads of laundry, cleaned furniture and carpets, snuggled sick babies, and worked only in the few minutes I can each day.  And you know what?  I haven't been stressing.  In fact, I feel as though I've been more successful in my endeavors because I haven't pushed.  I haven't had time to overthink.  And I've been trusting the Lord so much more.  Trusting that He will lead me in the direction I need to be and not trying to do something beyond that.  Accepting that He has good things for me, even if they don't look like what I thought.

He has confirmed this to me in a couple ways over the last 24 hours.  First involved an incredible book I'm reading called Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington.  In my reading she talks about our God-given purpose and our need to be obedient to that purpose, knowing He can do so much more through us when we follow the plan He has.  The second was through an audio teaching by Priscilla Shirer. I have a devotional CD of hers that plays whenever I'm driving and in this particular message she talks about hearing a prize winning tomato farmer share how important pruning is to producing the largest, ripest fruit.  She goes on to talk about how sometimes we have to prune good things in order to grow better things.  It's funny because they also both point out various times in Scripture where Jesus Himself reminds the people why He came.  For example, after healing many people, the whole town came out to where Jesus was staying and attempted to keep Him there so He could continue to heal them.  This was His response:

But He said, I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."  - Luke 4:43

Both ladies pointed out that Jesus didn't just come to do the Father's Will, but that He did the Father's Will and nothing else.  It would have been good for Him to stay and heal them, but that's not what He was called to do.  Just as I am not called to work myself ragged in every area, trying to trudge my own path and force everything to work the way I want under my control.  I must work smarter, not harder.  For me, this means spending more time with the Lord, listening to His guidance, and being obedient even when I don't know how it will turn out.

I'd love to hear if God has given you a word or phrase for this new year.  Or perhaps He's in the midst of teaching you a new lesson.  I'd love to hear that too!

Encourage One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Over the past couple of weeks I have seen so many posts, articles, comments, etc. of moms very aggressively sharing their views on mothering.  While sharing these opinions in and of themselves is not wrong, the manner in which I have seen it is. I read verses like the one above and weep a little.  We are called to encourage one another and build each other up . . . but is that "just as in fact [we] are doing?"  When I read a post, especially one between Christian mothers, that leaves my stomach turning, not because of the advice or opinions, but because of the tone, words, and anger behind them, it hurts my heart.  I'm not the first to say all of this and I'm sure I won't be the last.  Being a mom is hard work!  We have so much to decide on - sleeping, eating, playtime, outdoor playing, screen time, music, education, even diapers for goodness sakes!  And each one of us will make those decisions.  We'll have opinions of why our choice is best and maybe are so convinced at how great our decision was that we want to share it with others.  No matter what decision we make, one thing is the same.  We want the best for our child.  We want them to feel loved, to succeed, to know the Lord, to see His work in our lives, to be healthy, to be encouraged . . . and the list goes on.

I don't know the perfect answer to all of these decisions for every mama in the world, but what I do know is this.  God gave me my son.  And He gave me to him.  I know him better than any other person on this planet.  I know my family better than any other person on this planet.  And God trusted me with them.  He gave me the ability to think and make decisions.  He taught me to trust Him and turn to Him when those decisions are hard.  He taught me to listen to Him and stand firm in obedience even when it didn't make sense to others (or even myself).  How God has led me to raise my children may not be the same as He led you, but know that it doesn't change my opinion of you and it will not change my support of you.  

Being a mama is hard, but you are doing a great job!  How do I know?  Because if you are following the Lord and calling on Him to help raise your child, you are making the best decisions (even the hard ones) and are leaning on the best Father there ever was or will be to give you wisdom.  He knows you and your child intimately, after all He formed your child in your womb (Psalm 139)!  He has plans for you and your child and His plans are good and are never thwarted (Jeremiah 29:11, Job 42:2).

My purpose in this post is to encourage mamas to remember how hard it is and rather than make those decisions harder for other mamas, encourage them.  Offer advice if it's asked for, but encourage whatever decision they make.  If you think they've made the wrong decision, pray that the Lord would lead them to a different decision, but ultimately trust that God will lead them in what is best for their child.  

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

A Worthy Life

What kind of people ought you to be? – 2 Peter 3:11b

Woah!  What a question!  After reminding us that there is a time of judgment coming to the earth, Peter asks this very profound question:  What kind of people ought you to be?  Considering the many ways he could have asked this question or even just told us the answer, it strikes me as incredibly important that he chooses this phrasing.  It implies that we already know what we should be doing - that we already have the answer.  The Holy Spirit is within every believer reminding us of how to live a life worthy of the calling of Christ.  We need only to listen and heed its conviction.

Before asking this question, Peter draws our attention to a very important, yet somewhat unfortunate, fact: 

. . . for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. – 2 Peter 2:19b

(This just begs the question:  What has you mastered? I'll save that for another day.)

 Instead of simply ending his argument here, Peter calls us higher and deeper into our relationship with Christ.  Hope is offered.  We aren't left as slaves to our sin, circumstances, or idols.  In asking what kind of person we ought to be, he is saying that there is the possibility of being something more than what we are now.  Consider how he ends his letter:

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen. – 2 Peter 3:18

We have the ability to grow in Christ!  Living a life for Christ is not living a stagnant life.  It's a life of constant change and growth as we learn more about who God is and all that He has done for us.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:5-8

As children of the Most High God, we are called to grow in relationship with Him, to live a life worthy of the calling He has given us.  This is not something we are left to figure out on our own.  Jesus promised the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, would come to His followers to teach us all things and remind us of all He taught (John 14:26).  Knowing this, I ask you to consider these questions:  What steps is the Lord asking you to take in order to grow closer to Him?  Are you taking them?  What is stopping or preventing you?  If you're unsure of how to answer – ask your Father!  He wants an intimate relationship with you and will, through His Spirit, reveal to you those areas of your life that are getting in the way of that relationship. 

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. – Colossians 1:10

The God I Serve

Lord, You are the King eternal.
When I speak of my help,
it is You I can count on.

It is You who comes to my rescue,
who shakes the heavens,
who sends light in my darkest night.
You are the King eternal.

Father, You are my compassionate protector.
You move mountains to come to my aid,
it is You I cry out to.
It is You who never leaves me,
who never condemns me,
who is always full of love towards me.
You are my compassionate protector.

Jesus, You are the lover of my soul.
You stand with me in joy and sorrow,
it is You I pour my heart out to.
It is You who understands my pain,
who rejoices with me in good times,
who cries with me and comforts me at night.
You are the lover of my soul.

No One from That Tribe . . .

He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. – Hebrews 7:13-14

Have you ever read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien?  Perhaps it can best be identified as the "prequel" to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  In the story, Bilbo, a hobbit, is paired with 13 dwarves for a grand adventure through many treacherous paths.  At one point, after facing many challenges already, the group arrives at Mirkwood, the enchanted forest.  Bilbo is quite reluctant to enter, wishing he could leave with Gandalf, a wizard who had guided them to this point.  As a hobbit, Bilbo was not expected to be an adventurer and, with his small size, was seen as only capable of helping with very small tasks.  Although he managed to rescue himself once, many other times the dwarves, a hardy bunch, were expected to lend a hand in getting little Bilbo out of trouble.  Despite knowing all of this about Bilbo, Gandalf turns to him and says, "You have got to look after these dwarves for me."  Gandalf saw great potential in Bilbo.  This unlikely scenario of the hobbit needing to assist the dwarves would have seemed rather funny to those listening.  But Gandalf knew what he was talking about and, sure enough, Bilbo came in quite handy for those dwarves!

It might seem like an odd introduction to give a brief, limited plot summary of a children's story, but as I read this I thought of how God looks at each of His children.  He does not see what earthly eyes see, but instead sees the potential and the great plans He's prepared for each of us.  Have you ever heard or thought something like this – I grew up in that neighborhood so there's pretty much no way I'm going to college.  Or I'm a girl.  I'm not supposed to be good at science.  Maybe even I'm just a member of the church, not the pastor!  What am I supposed to do about that? 

It's for this reason that I love the above verse from Hebrews.  Up to this point the author of Hebrews has been discussing the priesthood of Christ.  Then here he suddenly notes that it was completely unexpected for Christ to be a priest since He came from the tribe of Judah.  Essentially, Jesus was from the "wrong" neighborhood to be a priest.  If you need another example, consider David.  He was the youngest of his brothers and yet became the King of Israel.  Then there's Joseph, a Hebrew in Egypt that after being a slave and a prisoner becomes the second in command of all of Egypt.  Consider also

Paul, a man who persecuted the Church only to become one of its greatest missionaries!  All were people who came from unexpected places to serve in great ways. 

Perhaps you limit yourself because of who you are, where you grew up, how much money you have, what kind of education you've received, how you look . . . the list is endless.  God says today – I created you for My Glory.  I handcrafted and formed you with every aspect of your life in mind.  You might seem like the "unlikely" or "unexpected" candidate for something, but know that if I have called you to it, I give you the strength and ability to fulfill it. 

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.  – 1 Peter 4:11

Jesus himself, as a priest, did not come from the expected tribe.  No priest had ever come from the tribe of Judah.  What about you?  What is unexpected of you based on your "tribe?"  God might very well be calling you to exactly that.  Don't deny yourself the possibilities of God's calling on your life, especially if He is leading you to them.  You are not a statistic, you are not bound by your environment.  You are a child of God created with purpose.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. – Jeremiah 1:5a

The Good Shepherd's Path

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. – Psalm 23:1-4

Have you ever experienced a time in your life where you felt like your relationship with God was on fire?  You took time out of each day to pray, read God's Word, talk to Him, and just spend time with Him.  Difficult things would come up, but you immediately took them to the Lord and knew that, ultimately, He was in control.  Have you ever gotten so distracted by life, deadlines, work, etc. that you lost that? 

I was there just last week.  Finishing up classes for the semester – papers to write, final exams to take – totally took my focus off the Lord.  I still took time in the morning to do my devotions, but they just felt empty.  I would come to the end of the day, exhausted, and feel like I just didn't have any more strength, energy, or time to spend with God.  So instead I read books for fun, claiming it was a stress-release.  I watched movies and tv, pointing to my work load and saying I deserved it.  Yet I would still come to the end of my day and somehow claim I didn't have any leftover time for God.  Each day I felt more and more empty.  Assignments piled up, I stayed stressed, and the work never seemed to diminish.  Somehow I made it to the end of the semester, but I was drained.  And then I attended a service on campus where God showed me what I had been attempted to do:

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the One who calls you. – Galatians 5:7-8

I realized that I was trying to do everything on my own.  I had been running a good race – following the Lord, leaning on Him, and then slowly started turning to my own interests, my own desires.  An image of a path came into my mind.  Instead of running on the path, however, I found myself running just to the side of it.  My feet were getting caught up in mud, my face was hit by branches, and I constantly had to dodge trees.  As I watched this scene in my mind I couldn't help but think, How silly!  Wouldn't it make so much more sense to run on that flat, straight path right there?  There are no branches to hit my face, no mud to slow me down, no trees to dodge.  In the midst of this thought the Lord very gently said, "Crystal, I've laid this path out just for you.  It's flat, straight, and firm.  You chose to step off the path and run.  When you're ready, the path is still there.  I'm not moving it.  Just step back onto it and I can help."

As I realized how easily I had stepped off the path I began to cry out to the Lord to set up guardrails, some sort of fence that would keep me from stepping so easily off the path.  Even as I prayed this God began to show me that He is the Good Shepherd.  As my Shepherd, His crook gently nudges me back to the path.  If I allow him to gently lead me with His crook, I'll never get stuck in that mud again.  I simply need to recognize the crook of my Shepherd, the sound of His voice:

"I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. – John 10:14-15

God has a path laid out for your life and as your Good Shepherd He desires to see you thrive and flourish as you walk along that path.  When we try to make choices without His input, complete tasks without leaning on His strength, and live as if we have to figure everything out on our own, we get caught up in the mud of life.  Branches hit our face and trees come up before us.  But remember that your Father is also your Good Shepherd.  We can choose to rebel and push away from the crook He sets out to guide us on the path or we can recognize that He truly is the Good Shepherd and desires only the best for us.  When we do this we will see that crook not as something keeping us from things we want, but as a comfort and blessing that protects us and keeps us on the path.

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4b