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Archive for May, 2011

My Secret to Inner Peace

Monday, May 30th, 2011

John 14:1 says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me.” Verse 27 says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

The command is clear—don’t let my heart be troubled or afraid. Okay. I get that. But how is that possible when the news is full of reports about floods and tornadoes and wild fires? Closer to home, how can I experience peace after learning that a lifelong friend is being moved into palliative care as her valiant fight with cancer draws to a close?

Last week was a tough one. A profound grief filled me upon hearing of my girlfriend’s situation. A physical heaviness settled into my chest and my tears flowed. I had three major speaking engagements, and I honestly wondered how I’d get through them without crying.

My friend and I are the same age. We attended the same Sunday school and mid-week girls’ club while growing up. We shared secrets. Laughed together. Graduated from high school together. I was maid of honor at her wedding. Now she’s saying goodbye to her husband, her kids, and her grandbabies while I’m free to linger here and enjoy mine. It feels unfair that our lives have taken such different paths. And why, though her husband has soaked his pillow with his tears while pleading for God to heal his best friend, has God said no?

I know what a troubled heart feels like. Thankfully I also know what it feels like for peace to overrule. How did I come to experience this peace in the midst of grief?

Here’s my secret: I’ve chosen to do what John 14:1 says—to actively trust God in this situation. He has promised eternal life to all who place their saving faith in Him. My friend did this as a child, therefore, she’s guaranteed a home in heaven. In a short time, she’ll take up residence there. Her suffering will end. And best of all, she’ll meet Jesus face to face.

If I allow my thoughts to linger on what seems to be unjust, and if I focus only on the pain that my friend and her family are experiencing right now, then my heart will indeed remain troubled. But Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me.” And so I choose to trust, even when I don’t like what’s happening.

How about you? What do you do to find peace when your heart’s troubled?

Photo courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Tags: afraid, cancer, eternal life, heaven, inner peace, palliative care, secret
Posted in Devotionals | 2 Comments »

3 Truths to Help Us Overcome Fear

Friday, May 27th, 2011

On Wednesday’s blog, I wrote about the simple but life-changing truth found in Psalm 118:5,6: “In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me, he will help me.” (italics mine)

The Lord is for me! I am free!

For the past two days, I’ve been meditating on these words and drawing huge encouragement from them. Last night, while speaking at South Delta Baptist Church’s annual Strawberry Tea, I told about their impact on my outlook when facing frightening situations. Then I walked the women through a simple exercise that I hope will help them remember and apply Truth when they feel afraid.

First, I asked them to say the words, “the Lord is for me.” Then together and aloud, we put the emphasis on Lord.

“Who is the Lord?” I asked my audience. “He’s the creator of heaven and earth! The one who spoke the universe into being! This amazing God—the one for whom nothing is impossible—He’s the one who is for you! Why, then, should we fear?”

Next, I asked them to repeat the phrase while placing emphasis on for. “God is cheering for us,” I said. “He doesn’t sit in heaven and wait for us to fail so He can clobber us. He wants us to do well in life, so He’s given us His word to show us how to live. He loves us with an unfailing love. We can trust Him and His ways even when we don’t understand them because He’s for us, not against us.”

Last, I asked the audience to repeat the phrase while stressing me. “Sometimes I feel as though God loves other people more than He loves me,” I said. “Sometimes I doubt His love for me because I feel unlovable or ‘way too insignificant to matter to Him. Yet this Scripture says He loves me. He knows me through and through, and He still loves me like crazy. The same is true for you. Why then, if God loves us so much, are we plagued by fear?”

Good question, eh? How would you answer that one?

I pray that this simple exercise will stick with these women for the rest of their lives. Why don’t you give a whirl?

The Lord is for me.
The Lord is for me.
The Lord is for me.

How do these three truths impact you today?

Tags: fear, frightening, love, South Delta Baptist Church, Strawberry Tea
Posted in Devotionals | 3 Comments »

A Single, Life-Altering Thought

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Canada celebrated the late Queen Victoria’s birthday last weekend. I celebrated, too, by turning off my computer and escaping for two days alone with my husband. It was so restful that I’d be tempted to do it again this weekend if I wasn’t speaking in Edmonton!

This bald eagle perched on a tree, overlooking the park where we re-created for a day.

While on this mini-retreat, I played Scrabble, reflected, and read. The book I’d picked up was titled Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. The content didn’t capture my imagination and whisk me away to another place and time, but it did challenge me to think about how I prepare my messages. Over and over, it reminded me to focus on one single thought rather than dispel too much information. Good stuff. I recommend this book to anyone who does public speaking.

Anyway, I returned home on Monday evening. Early the next morning, I settled into my black leather loveseat, coffee and Bible in hand. “What do You have for me today?” I asked the Lord as I opened my journal and wrote the day’s date.

These are the verses I read: “In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me, he will help me” (Psalm 118:5,6).

I read these Scriptures with a question in mind: What single thought grabs me? The answer came back: “The Lord is for me.” The statement is simple but life-altering! Imagine!

God – the One who spoke the universe into being – is for us!

God – the One for whom nothing is impossible – is for us!

God – who conquered death once for all – is for us!

Sometimes we think of God as the big guy who sits in the heavens and hovers over us with a baseball bat, watching for our failures and waiting to clobber us for doing wrong. But these Scriptures paint a much different picture.

God is for us. He loves us. He died for us. He cheers for us, like a parent in the grandstand cheers for her child who runs the bases after swinging the bat and hitting the ball. He wants us to succeed, to shed the gunk that weighs us down—fear, unforgiveness, anger, shame, and the like—and run with endurance and success the race that is before us.

Tonight I’ll be speaking to a group of nearly 400 women. Tomorrow evening I’ll speak to another group the same size. I’ll be honest—I feel nervous. What if I mess up during my presentation? What if I forget my train of thought? The possibility makes my heart ker-thump and sets butterflies loose in my tummy.

But then I remember this single, life-altering thought: The Lord is for me. I’ll meditate on it as I drive to the venue, and throughout the evening as the clock ticks toward my time on stage. The Lord is for me. He will help me. The Lord is for me. I will not fear.

Take this single thought and make it your focus for the day, my friend. Then take a moment and tell us how it applies to you.

Tags: Andy Stanley, Anger, Communicating for a Change, fear, Lane Jones, shame, unforgiveness
Posted in Devotionals | 3 Comments »

Blemish-Free

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Today’s society puts ‘way too much emphasis on perfect skin, don’t you think? You’ve gotta be blemish-free to be beautiful, so you’d better take out a loan and start collecting soaps, creams, and concealers.

I remember my terrible teens—those days when my skin broke out and declared itself my personal foe. I spent all my hard-earned babysitting income (earned 50 cents/hour back then…double after midnight!) on facial scrub and every other marketing miracle on the shelves. After high school grad, I became a salesperson for a skin care company so I could buy their products at a discount. To top it off, I ended up taking prescription meds to clear up my blemishes. That thought unnerves me now because, frankly, I know in retrospect that my skin issues did not warrant drugs.

Imagine all the time, energy, and money North Americans invest on their physical appearance in hopes of being blemish-free. Now imagine the difference in our society if we’d invest the same on our spiritual and emotional well-being.

A woman named Abigail once warned David against killing her husband, who’d treated him with contempt by withholding hospitality to him and his army. “When the LORD has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record,” she said (1 Samuel 24:31).

Wise woman, Abigail was. She knew that David’s reputation could be soiled if he killed Nabal simply because he was angry. She counseled him to think twice before acting upon emotions, reminding him that his behavior would have long lasting consequences.

David heeded Abigail’s advice. We’d do well to heed it, too. If we want to be blemish-free emotionally and spiritually, then let’s be careful not to allow our feelings to dictate our actions. Let’s think twice before doing something we’ll later regret. Let’s live according to God’s commands, and we’ll be blemish-free.

Photo courtesy: www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-girl-s-half-face-portrait-rimagefree2413708-resl3440358

Tags: blemish free, emotions, Grace Fox, physical appearance, skin issues, wise woman
Posted in Devotionals | 2 Comments »

3 Characteristics of True Friendship

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

What does true friendship really look like?

I guarantee it runs deeper than Facebook. Here are three characteristics that I glean from the friendship between David and Jonathan:

“One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him. Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.” So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the LORD. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh” (1 Samuel 15-18).

#1 – True friendship means being willing to go out of one’s way to lend encouragement. Scripture says David and his motley crew were roaming the countryside, trying to escape Saul and his henchmen. They must have been difficult to find, but Jonathan took the time and made the effort to locate his friend because he knew he needed encouragement.

How does look in today’s world? We need to take the time and make the effort to encourage others in need. Yes, life is busy. We’re all busy. But truth be told, sometimes we just need to stop the rush long enough to pray with someone, send a greeting card, or make a phone call.

The finger’s pointin’ at me today. I’m sweating over preparing several workshops for an upcoming conference, but a friend just learned that her husband has three months to live. What to do? She needs encouragement, so I’m having supper with her in the hospital cafeteria tonight and trusting God to multiple my hours so I can finish the workshop prep.

#2 – True friendship means helping one another keep the right focus. Jonathan encouraged David to stay strong in his faith in God. He could have planned a strategy to get rid of Saul so David could return home and get on with his life, but he chose a better way.

What a great example for us today! We, too, need to encourage our friends to keep the faith. To live God-honoring lives. To rise above the status quo. To settle for nothing less than God’s best even when it’s tough.

#3 – True friendship means spurring one another on to become what God has intended. “Don’t be afraid,” said Jonathan. “My father won’t find you. You’ll be the king of Israel, and I’ll be next to you.” I love this picture. You see, humanly speaking, Jonathan was heir to the throne. He saw life from God’s perspective, however, and knew that David was God’s choice. In essence, he was saying to David, “Face your fears! Go for it! I’m with ya all the way!”

We, too, need to encourage our friends to face their fears and pursue God’s purposes for their lives. We need to reassure them that we’re there for them, cheering them on through thick and thin.

What are your thoughts? What characteristics do you value in true friendship?

Photo courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Tags: afraid, encourage, Facebook, fears, Grace Fox, greeting card, true friendship
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Turning Fear to Confidence

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Yesterday our pastor spoke about overcoming fear. It’s an endless topic, it seems, with endless reasons to feel afraid.

This week, farmers in Manitoba wait and watch as floodwaters approach and fill their fields. In the southern States, the Mississippi river rises and workers desperately try to avert a catastrophe that could exceed Hurricane Katrina. And this comes on the heels of rogue tornadoes that recently killed hundreds.

Men and women struggling today to save their homes and livelihood, and those grieving the recent loss of their loved ones are dealing with fear. Most of us, however, watch these situations unfold on TV until we’ve heard and seen enough, and then we go about our daily business. But every once in a while, a closer-to-home situation arises, and fear threatens to take up residence in our hearts and minds.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend from church drew me aside at the end of the Sunday service. Her voice choked as she whispered, “I’ve had a cat-scan, and the doctor saw spots on my lungs. I’m going for further tests. Would you please pray for me?” I gave her a big hug and asked God to fill and surround her with His peace as she waits for her tests and the results.

Over the past couple of weeks, my hubby and I have trained nearly two dozen people who will be doing short-term missions trips this summer. They’ve expressed fears of another sort: fear that their fundraising efforts will fall short, fear of getting lost in airports, fear of inadequacy as they minister to people of another culture, fear of eating unfamiliar foods, and fear of not getting enough rest or of becoming ill on the trip.

As for me, I struggle with fear, too. Here’s the latest: I’m afraid that, if our mission volunteers allow their fears to grow, they’ll become discouraged and change their minds about going! I’m also afraid that we’ll have to cancel one of our outreaches in Romania because that team still lacks two members. Time is running out. How might a cancellation impact the ministry of our career staff with whom we plan to partner for this outreach?

Every time I feel fear tighten its grip on me, I turn to the Scripture and focus on its truth. This morning I read, “They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly” (Psalm 112:7,8). What a great reminder, eh?

No matter what circumstances you and I face—and I guarantee we will face tough stuff—we can rest assured that the Lord will care for us. We may need to retrain negative thought patterns by filling our minds with the truth found in Scripture, but as we do, we can move beyond our fears with confident trust in this all-powerful, all-present, all-wise, and ever-loving God.

What fears are you facing today?

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-river-rushing-rimagefree2411088-resi3440358

Tags: confidence, fear, Grace Fox, Hurricane Katrina, Manitoba floods, Mississippi, negative thought patterns, overcoming fear, tornadoes
Posted in Devotionals | 6 Comments »

A Taste of Honey

Friday, May 13th, 2011

What do you do to stay refreshed in the midst of a busy and sometimes downright difficult life?

King Saul’s son, Jonathan, found refreshment when he dipped a stick into a piece of honeycomb and ate the honey (1 Samuel 14:24-27). He’d spent the day fighting the Philistine army, battling to the bitter end. He and the other soldiers were “pressed to exhaustion that” partly due to fighting, but also because Saul had foolishly told them they couldn’t eat until they’d fully revenged the enemy.

Jonathan hadn’t heard Saul’s command. When he found the honeycomb on the forest floor, he took a little bite. The result? “After he had eaten it, he felt refreshed.”

My life’s busy. Here’s what today’s schedule looks like:

8 AM – grocery shop to buy food for the people who will attend our missionary training event this weekend

9 AM – price-check items that must be bought and delivered to teens in Romania this summer

10:30 – collect training materials

11:30 – lunch with my daughter (belated Mother’s Day treat),

1 PM – Costco trip to buy remaining food for the weekend

4 PM – meet out-of-town friends for coffee

6-9 PM – weekend training kicks off

And so my day goes. I’ll bet your day is busy, too. It won’t look like mine, but you’ll have errands and other stuff to do to keep your household running, or to prepare for weekend guests, or to catch up after a busy week at work.

In the midst of the rush, we need to keep ourselves refreshed. I woke early this morning to spend time in the Word. Doing so refreshed my heart and gave me oomph for the hours ahead. I’m also going to eat nutritious food, maintain an attitude of praise, and try to get to bed at a decent hour so I can stay fresh throughout the weekend. When training ends on Sunday, I think I’ll do nothing for a few hours (and not feel guilty). And next weekend, I’ll take my husband away for one night – an early birthday gift for him, but a much-needed escape that will undoubtedly feel like a taste of honey and leave us refreshed from the inside out.

What do you do to stay refreshed? What’s your taste of honey?

Tags: exhaustion, Grace Fox, honey, Jonathan, missionary training
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Replacing God

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

It’s easy for me to judge the Israelites as slow learners when I read about their Old Testament adventures, or should I say, misadventures. For instance, take the time when they made a golden idol and then worshiped it while waiting for Moses to return from his mountaintop meeting with God.

Psalm 106:19-21 says, “The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt..”

What??? These folks had just witnessed God’s power in amazing ways. They’d just experienced Him as their deliverer from Egypt and slavery. Instead of clinging to Him, their rescuer, they forgot about what He’d done and replaced Him with a golden bull. They lavished their affections on a cow. How’s that for gratitude?

Yes, it’s easy for me to judge the Israelites as slow learners. But the truth is, I’m slow sometimes, too. I’ve never crafted a golden bull in my basement or backyard, but I’ve been guilty of lavishing more love on doing ministry than on Jesus in times past. If I don’t guard my heart, I can easily make ministry an idol that replaces my glorious God. How foolish is that?

How about you? How’s would you describe your love for God? Do you still regard Him as your glorious Savior who has done great things on your behalf? Or have you replaced Him with something much, much less? Your career? A relationship? Your looks? Money?

God has given us His all. He does not deserve to be replaced. Rather, He deserves our complete affection. I choose to give it to Him. Will you do so, too?

Photo courtesy: ChristianPhotos.Net – Free High Resolution Photos for Christian Publications

Tags: affection, golden idol, Grace Fox, gratitude, idol, replacing God
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The Intentional Spiritual Life

Monday, May 9th, 2011

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of being intentional about my health. As a result, I try to eat nutritious food and workout at a gym at least three times per week. Believe me, some mornings I’d rather sleep in, but I know my body will feel sluggish if I choose my bed over a bike or elliptical machine For me, and probably for you, intentionality is vital to fitness.

The same is true about my spiritual life—intentionality is the key to spiritual health. And so, I spend time alone with God every day. I read His Word, I journal the things I learn through it, and I invite His presence into every thought and action.

I don’t consider doing so a chore or religious obligation. Rather, I view it as a privilege and joy to develop friendship with the God of the universe. Imagine! God rules over all, and yet He knows my name and longs for relationship with me. Is growing that relationship worth the effort? Absolutely!

Psalm 105:4 says, “Search for the LORD and for his strength; continually seek him.” Talk about the spiritually intentional life! The words search and seek are active verbs. They tell us to “look carefully through something, trying to find what is there or hunting for something lost or hidden.”

If we want to be spiritually fit, we need to be intentional about it…continually, not just when we feel like it. We need to value Jesus and seek Him diligently. Money, career, position, stuff, and even ministry will try to lure us away, but we need to make, and keep, Jesus as our priority.

When we do, we find His strength for life’s difficult situations. We learn how to respond to prickly people in a God-honoring way. We discover wisdom for major decisions. Every aspect of our lives benefits when we’re spiritually fit. What do you think? Is the effort worth it?

Question: What actions do you take to be intentional about your spiritual fitness?

Photo courtesy: www.christianphotos.net

Tags: Christian author, Grace Fox, intentional, physical fitness, spiritual fitness
Posted in Devotionals | 5 Comments »

Prayer for My Children

Friday, May 6th, 2011

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m posting a prayer I wrote for my three kids several years ago. Enjoy, and feel free to share it with other moms and grandmas!

Dear Father,

If I focus on the state of the world around me…

Families broken

Integrity lost

Truth abandoned

Rights demanded

Life devalued

I could wring my hands in despair.

Instead, I will pray to You—the true and living God.

My children are growing up in this tainted, suffering world.

Their only hope is that You govern every aspect of their lives…

Choices

Friendships

Time

Entertainment

Career

Life partner.

Thank You for loving them more than I ever could.

I trust You to develop in them character qualities that honor You…

Love

Wisdom

Holiness

Truthfulness

Humility

Fear of the Lord.

Thank You for having a special purpose for my children’s lives.

Please teach them Your ways so they will…

Hunger and thirst for righteousness

Treasure Your commandments

Say no to temptation

See others through Your eyes

Serve others as Christ did

Recognize that their strength comes from You.

Thank You that Your plans are to give them a future and a hope.

As they grow up, please fulfill Your promises to…

Satisfy their spiritual hunger

Make them shine as lights in the darkness

Give them peace and add years of life

Grant them favor and a good reputation in Your sight and the sight of man

Cause their lives to prosper and bear fruit

Know the joy that comes from serving You first, others next, themselves last.

Hear this prayer for my children, dear Father.

Please give them pure hearts so they might…

Know You intimately

Obey You

Cling to You

Praise You

And love You

Because You loved them first.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Photo courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Grace Fox is an international speaker at women’s events and the author of four books including 10-Minute Time Outs for Moms, 10-Minute Time Outs for You and Your Kids, and 10-Minute Time Outs for Busy Women. Her fourth book, Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation, now has an accompanying 7-part teaching DVD and Bible study guide complete with leaders’ notes. Ideal for small groups!

Tags: child, Grace Fox, mother, Mother's Day, pray, prayer
Posted in Devotionals | 6 Comments »