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Mic Check

  1 Peter 3: 15 “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.    And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” 2 Timothy 4 “Preach the word of God.   Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not.   Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”   I missed an opportunity to preach the Good News at my father’s 70 th birthday party with all our friends and family gathered together to celebrate my dad.   What a wonderful time we had.   And I was holding the mic and recounted an early childhood memory but I had also planned to speak about a time when my dad and I were on the phone and having a deep conversation about life and some loved ones who had passed away. It was a difficult time and it seemed we had lost too many friends and family members one right after the other.   I grew up in the church, thanks to my mom’s dedication to get my brother and I there, whether we wanted to go or not.   My dad only r
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Think Hope

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.”   Lamentations 3:21          Keep your light burning How powerful is the mind, that we can only scratch the surface of what it can do?   We can study it but after years of assiduous research, we have still ascertained only a fraction of its capabilities. One thing Jeremiah tapped into that he knew for sure, was that the mind is an instrument for hope if we can harness and focus it.   When Lamentations was written, the prophet Jeremiah was in anguish and distress.   It was a time much more desolate than today.   It was a time when no one had any real hope.   It was a time when all the bad decisions were finally catching up to the people of God.   I’ll admit that I’m often rushing here and there for meetings and appointments.   I try to get an early start, but the earlier I am, the slower I move.   Often, to be on time, I will go a little faster than the speed limit.   Usually, I get to where I’m going with

Why does God do it? Why does God put up with us?

We are some of the worst friends, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters.  We're so cynical and skeptical, that if someone is being "too nice" to us, we get suspicious that they want something from us.  We ask, "why is this person being so nice? I wonder what she wants?"  We can't fathom that someone would be extremely nice to us without having some type of agenda.  I think a lot of us look at God with that same sideways skepticism. Like, okay, so He sent His son to die on a cross for my sins, so that I might be saved.  And all He wants from me is to accept His salvation and allow Him to come into my heart? "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his gra

Look Straight Ahead

My first decision has to be trust, then faith…loud, colorful faith.   It seems to be the only way for me.   I’m no mistake and God created me just the way he wanted me. He knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in those jobs.   He knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in those relationships.   He knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in that city.   So, why now, looking over my life, do I feel like I’ve missed the mark?    When God in his infinite wisdom knows exactly who he’s dealing with and loves me.   Heaven has smiled on me and God has made no mistake.   Here I am, here and now.   And yes, for such a time as this.   And what time is this?   I know this is a time of great activity and productivity.   I know that there has never been an easier time to connect with people all over the world.   To get in front of people you want to get in front of and have your voice heard.   To be seen on whatever scale you wanted visibility.   To get involved in living life out loud.   And there has never been

What are you hoping for?

I came for a short visit to Inglewood, California to see my family and offer my assistance in a family project at my parent's house this weekend.  I didn't bring my percolator, so off to Starbucks I went to get some much needed coffee.  California is a beautiful place and the weather is always nice, so I walked to Starbucks  It's only one mile away and that's a great way to get some sun and some exercise, all at once.   As I was walking down the street, I felt an air of dreams deferred, a bit of staleness, and a sense of "is this all there is?"  Now, I know there will always be dreamers and believers, movers and shakers, but I couldn't help but notice the look of hopelessness on the faces that I passed by.  I noticed the homes with unkempt lawns and the cars that needed washing.  As we get older and our priorities change, I understand that what was once important may fade in the shadows of more pressing issues.  I know that having the latest Jordan'

What is God calling you to do?

I think of how empowered I am and how lost I am, all at the same time.  I read the Scriptures and I think, "Wow, how God loves me.  How incredible I must be to Him.  How awesome are His ways and His thoughts toward me."  And this being true.  I look up from the page and I'm like, okay, so now what do I do?  I'm housing all this magnificence inside me.  The power of Christ resurrected lives in me.  I am effective and unproductive, all at once.  At times, overwhelmed by my calling, yet disappointed by my progress.  I ask, "Lord, what would you have me do right now, in this moment?"  I've asked a million times before.  And I feel like I keep getting the same answer:  Write. The murkiness sets in.  Well, I am.  I have a blog and I write when I can.  I also have bills to pay and a family to take care of.  Surely, you must also require me to work?!  Again, my thoughts are conflicted and my actions divided.  How can I get anywhere like this?  How can I ga

Trying to Be Too Nice

Proverbs 28:23 "He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." All the work I put in to make sure I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, and trying not to be judgmental (which of course, I still shouldn't be), it's good to hear from God that it's ok to correct at times.  And correcting others is not always bad. We live in a day where inclusiveness and acceptance is the only approved stance, but not all things are acceptable.  And who gets to draw that line, anyway?  Those who consider themselves repressed or marginalized?  Those who consider themselves persecuted? No, I don't have to be accepted or approved by you.  I know I am approved by God.  And only God can judge and will judge the deeds of the righteous and the wicked.  I'm not to be downright confrontational, but I don't have to be a suck-up either.  My Savior never was.  He was strong and gentle.  He was caring and He corrected.  He stood