Monthly Archives: December 2011

The End is the Beginning

31 Saturday Dec 2011

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“The end of something is better than its beginning.” ~ Ecclesiastes 7:8a

It seems almost impossible to believe that it has been an entire year since I first sat down to start this project.  A lot has happened in the past twelve months.  Amazing things.  Little things.  Out of the ordinary things.  Average things.

And all in all, it has been a wonderful year.

Not wonderful because life always treats me perfectly, but wonderful because I can look back on an entire year of walking day by day with my Creator and see the incredible things He has taught me and done for me.

When I started this project, I think I had hoped that it would help me understand why my husband died.  Well, 365 days later, I am not one step closer to understanding why.  However, I do know that I am a year closer to my Lord and eternity with Him, and I am slowly coming to the understanding that, in the long run, is what really matters.

Of all the resolutions I’ve ever made, I think this one I am proudest of keeping.  I’ve made lots of resolutions in my life and have even kept a few, but of all of them, this one is the one that has had the most impact on my life.

I hope as 2011 draws to a close, you can take a moment to look at back at all the ways God has blessed you in your life.  Be thankful for all He has done and all He will do for you, His child.

Kick This Habit

30 Friday Dec 2011

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“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” ~ Colossians 3:2

I read a line in a single parenting book the other day, and I think it bears repeating in today’s post:

Settling is habit-forming.

The chapter was talking about how too often we allow ourselves to get run down and fall prey to the belief that nothing good will ever come our way.  At that point, it becomes all too easy to settle for whatever we can get.  And once that cycle starts, it can draw us in to the trap of always accepting whatever is in front of us, instead of holding out for God’s best.

If there is one habit you vow to break in 2012, I hope it is this one.

At no point in the Bible are we ever taught that settling is what God wants for us.  He doesn’t have “getting by” in mind when He designs our lives.  Jesus Himself said that He came so that we may have life, and have it to the full!  That doesn’t sound like settling, does it?

Now, that isn’t promising that you’ll suddenly have piles of money and material wealth galore.  The truth is, most of us will spend our earthly lives balancing budgets and watching our spending.  We can, however, have lives full of riches and joy by pursuing all of the great things God has in store for us.

Set your mind on things above and ask God to show you all the good He has for you.  When your focus is on Christ, you’ll never be disappointed.

Tick-Tock

29 Thursday Dec 2011

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” ~ II Corinthians 5:17

The year is winding down, giving us time to reflect on how 2011 went and what we hope for in the new year.  To me, the holiday of January 1st has always seemed a little arbitrary, but I think if it urges us to stop and reflect, then it is being put to good use.

All over the world, people celebrate the coming of a new year.  The idea dates all the way back to Roman times, when people dedicated the time of year (Janus) to beginnings.  It is interesting to think of how we all long for a new beginning, even in the midst of the timeline of life.  We make resolutions, vow to change our habits and revitalize our lives.  However, a new hairstyle will eventually become dated and attempts to hit the gym six times a week fade away.  These changes, while healthy, will not lead to anything revolutionary like we hope.

However, there is only one surefire way to become someone new and truly make a fresh start.  Putting our trust and belief in Christ guarantees we will become a new creature.  We are promised in II Corinthians that believing in Him means the old has gone and the new has come.  And isn’t that what everyone wants?

Such a Time as This

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

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“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ~ Esther 4:14

This verse from the story of Esther has always challenged me.  Mordecai’s words are a multi-faceted test, and (to me) make this verse one of the most valuable ones in the book of Esther.

Leading into this verse, Esther had balked at the idea of going before the king to plead for the lives of the Jews.  She isn’t wrong in her hesitation – protocol at the time dictated she could be killed for going before him without being summoned.  And yet, Mordecai doesn’t miss a beat in his response to her words.

Her silence wouldn’t spell the end of the Jews.  It would simply mean God would find another way to save them.  However, her silence would cost her the lives of both herself and her family.  And just in case Esther wasn’t seeing the whole picture, Mordecai points out that her beauty has landed her in just the right position to be of incredible service to her people, at this exact moment in time.

God has gifted you with talents unique to you and your situation.  He has tailor made who you are for where you are in life.  Whatever He is asking of you, He has created everything about you to be the perfect answer for the situation, whether you know it or not.  If you refuse to heed His calling, He will find another way to accomplish His purpose and, unlike Esther, you may not know the cost of being disobedient.

You were put on this earth for such a time as this.  Listen to the Creator – He has planned for your very existence to accomplish things for His will and kingdom.

Dream Big

27 Tuesday Dec 2011

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“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” ~ II Timothy 3:16-17

A few days ago, I had one of the oddest dreams in recent memory.

In my dream, I was climbing Mt. Everest.  This, in and of itself, isn’t super odd for me.  For years, I have had a fascination with the history of people who have ascended this mountain.  I have read numerous books on the subject, and from George Mallory to Sir Edmund Hillary, I could probably tell you more about Mt. Everest that anyone else you know.

No, what made the dream odd (or awesome, depending on how you look at it) was that I was climbing Mt. Everest in an electric green cape.  If it makes a difference to you, it had a hood, so wasn’t totally impractical.  But sure enough, over all of my snow gear, there was a cape.

To me, this dream was everything a dream is supposed to be – accomplishing something heroic, punctuated by wearing a cape while doing it.  As far as dreams go, I think it’s fantastic.

Sometimes God puts dreams in our hearts that may seem too big to be realized.  But I think He loves doing this, not to frustrate us, but to use it as an opportunity to show us how big He really is.  If we dream about things that seem beyond our limited capabilities, we have to keep in mind that God will prepare us to do whatever it is He has set forth for us in His will.  As today’s verse in II Timothy says, we have Scriptures to train and teach us, to equip us to do every good work.  God may fill your heart with an impossible dream, but He will use His word to help you get there.

So go ahead, dream big.  And get ready to be awed by your Creator.

Pure for God

26 Monday Dec 2011

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“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” ~ I John 1:7

If you have found time to watch or read the news this week, you may have heard about a discovery that was made under Jerusalem’s Old City recently.  A small clay seal was found, with two Aramaic words meaning, “Pure for God.”  Since the site of the temple in Jerusalem remains off-limits to archaeologists due to the political and religious sensitivity, this find is both very unusual and incredibly valuable.

To me, it is amazing to think about so long ago, when people needed to have their oils and animals declared, “pure for God,” before they could proceed with their sacrifices in the temple.  How different from how we worship today.

If you are a follower of Christ, you also bear the stamp, “Pure for God.”  But it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with Him.  The blood of Jesus Christ alone is what purifies us from our sin – that alone makes us pure for God.

Wonder & Joy

25 Sunday Dec 2011

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
~ Luke 2:8-14

Celebrating the birth of our Lord is still filled with wonder to this day, two thousand years later.  To hear the story and meditate on it, from the bewildered little family in the stable to the angels singing from the heavens, reminds us that we still have so much to be joyful for.

Tonight I had the privilege of reading the story of our Savior’s birth to my little boy, after hearing him say, “Jesus,” for the first time.  Seeing his face light up at the picture of the baby in the manger was the best gift I could have been given today.

Enjoy the wonder of this time of year.  And praise the Lord for all He has done for us.

What Do You Say?

24 Saturday Dec 2011

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“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” ~ Luke 1:38a

When the angel foretold the birth of Christ, he gave Mary news that would change her life forever.

Her response, with no indication of hesitation, was simple: Let it be so.

When God asks you to do something, what do you say?

Lean, Mean, and Oh So Green

23 Friday Dec 2011

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“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” ~ James 3:16

I just finished reading a book entitled, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns).  Now, I have to admit, I bought the book because the title made me laugh.  And it was a funny book, having been written by one of the writers of The Office.

But I think the title of the book captures something that everyone worries about, at least once in awhile.  Who hasn’t fretted about being left out, at least at some point in life? (If you are one of those people that has never felt this way, don’t tell me, because you’ll wreck my whole theory.).

I think the rise of social media has further perpetuated the myth that everyone else is living a better life and having so much more fun than we are.  We see status updates and tweets that are phrased “just so” and we automatically assume that this ongoing onslaught of information must be how their life actually is, never mind that most people only post things that are noteworthy and put pictures up that are sure to show themselves in the best light.

We then find ourselves in the midst of chasing a life and existence that, in essence, doesn’t exist.  And we don’t even realize that we’re acting out of envy, because the whole process is just so ingrained into our everyday lives.  The enemy has set a trap that we don’t even see, because we expect it to be there.

So don’t worry – everyone isn’t actually hanging out without you.  If you find yourself in the midst of a quiet social season, enjoy the extra time you have to spend with your Creator.  And don’t let yourself get sucked in to believing that everyone you know has a glamorous, perfect life.  They don’t.  Instead, be thankful for all that God has given you and focus your time and attention on what He is asking of you in this life.  In the end, that’s all that really matters.

Less of a Bang, More of a Whimper

22 Thursday Dec 2011

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He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.” ~ Luke 21:8

To be perfectly honest, when I set out to blog every day for an entire year, I really didn’t think I’d make it.  I figured I’d probably get through March or so, discover no one had actually read a word I’d written, give it a few more tries, and eventually give up.

Well, here we are on December 22nd and I’m thinking I might actually make it all 365 days.  Thanks to the magic of the internet being everywhere, I’ve been able to stick to my goal of posting something every day.  It’s been a great journey so far, and it’s an interesting way for me to look back and see how God has helped me grow through the past twelve months.

Now, of course, I’m starting to panic that I’ll miss a day.  Being this close – do you realize there are only nine days left in 2011? – now I’m suddenly worried that something will happen to interrupt my aspirations.  I am imagine terrible things, like my computer spontaneously combusting, that aren’t likely to happen at all.

Then it hit me that what was most likely to happen was that I would simply forget.  Nothing earth-shattering or life altering.  The one thing that could happen to prevent me from reaching my objective would be something quite unremarkable and almost unnoticeable.

It got me thinking about the end times.  We always think of the end times as being full of Hollywood-style explosions and enough blood, guts, and gore to earn an R-rating in a movie.  And while I do believe things will get there, that isn’t how it’s going to start out.

In II Thessalonians 2, there are repeated warnings that we aren’t to be deceived.  That the coming time of lawlessness is already at work.  Throughout the New Testament, such as this verse in Luke, we are warned again not to be deceived.  Being deceived – believing a lie – isn’t something giant blowing up.  It isn’t earth-shattering or news-worthy.  In comparison to a lot of things, it can seem so small.  But being deceived about Christ is life-altering – and not in a good way.

Be cautious of this seemingly small stumbling block.  Falling pray to the enemy’s deceptive ways can start out innocuously enough, and eventually draw you into a web that will leave you so tangled you don’t know how to escape.  Keep your eyes on Christ – He is the way, the truth and the life.  He will never lead you astray and always guide you in the way you should go.

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