Archive for the ‘Joy’ Category

True Radiance — How to Glow from the Inside

Friday, April 5th, 2013

“If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” Luke 11:36 NLT

According to this site, total global beauty sales for January-March 2012 totaled $2,278,000,000. That’s a ton of money spent on skin care products, cosmetics, and spa treatments in just three months. Obviously, we highly value outward beauty.

Have you ever known someone who’s radiant without artificial means? Several years ago I met a woman named Wanda at a weekend retreat. I noticed her countenance the moment she walked into the prayer meeting before the first session began.

Wanda glowed.

The next evening, I had the opportunity to tell Wanda what I’d noticed. “You’re radiant,” I said. “Tell me what’s going on in your life.”

Wanda smiled and then shared her testimony with me. You can read her story in my book Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation, but in short form she’d been to the brink and back with a drug-addicted and imprisoned husband for years. Her marriage eventually ended in divorce. She moved to a new city to start over again with her two kids. And then her teenage son was shot by a stranger at a friend’s birthday party. Thankfully he survived, but his life hung in a balance for several days in the ICU.

Through all her hardships, Wanda found strength and direction in God’s word. She’d grown to know Him intimately. Jesus, the light of life, filled her life. He shone His truth into every nook, every cranny, every corner. The result? His radiance beamed through her eyes and her smile.

Skin care and cosmetics aren’t all bad. But wow—can you imagine the difference if we were to give our spiritual well-being the same care and attention as we give our physical appearance? Let’s ensure that our radiance comes from the inside first and foremost, by allowing Jesus, the light of life, to fill our every nook, cranny, and corner.

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What’s the Big Deal About Praise?

Monday, March 25th, 2013

I’ve heard some folks question God’s reason for commanding us to praise Him. Some think He’s proud or self-centered. In fact, the opposite is true.

Scripture says that God dwells in the praises of His people. If that’s true, then praise is actually the means to deeper intimacy with Him. And when we walk in intimacy with Him, we experience greater joy, peace, and purpose.

When we praise God despite our circumstances, we express trust in who He is and we honor Him. Or faith grows as our focus turns from our circumstances to His character. Praising God—at all times—ensures our spiritual well-being, and that’s a big deal considering the battle that rages around us.

Psalm 68:4 says, “Sing praises to God and to His name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in His presence” (NLT).

Let’s choose to praise God for who He is, no matter what our circumstances look like. Doing so strengthens our faith and enables us to face anything that comes our way.

Join me for this devotional on YouTube.

Photo courtesy: www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Rediscovering the Wonder of Creation

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

Sunshine bathed my dining room yesterday. Unbeknownst to me, its warmth melted the wrapped European chocolates sitting in a dish on the table.

My grandchildren popped in for an unexpected visit at noon. Five-year-old Anna and three-year-old Luke discovered the softened sweets. “Oh no, Grandma,” Anna exclaimed. “They’re melted! What should we do with them?”

“Put them in the fridge,” I said. “Then they’ll harden and be easier to eat.”

Anna checked on the chocolates an hour later. “You were right, Grandma!” she exclaimed. “They’re hard now. Wow—how did that happen?” Her awe made me smile.

Living life with a sense of wonder and awe seldom happens in adulthood. Work and worry often blind us to the miracles that surround us.

My grandchildren’s presence restores my perspective. Seeing life through their eyes especially when we go for a walk or play outside reawakens me to wonders such as a ladybug’s spots, a daisy’s petals, an ant’s activity, and a bird’s nest. It renews my awe at the Creator’s ingenuity. And I inevitably experience joy.

Psalm 65:8 says, “Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy” (NLT).

Beginning today, let’s ask God to open our eyes to the wonders He’s created. Let’s celebrate His creative genius. And let’s stand in awe of who He is.

It’s your turn. What aspect of God’s creation inspires awe and shouts of joy in your life?

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Three Suggestions for Developing a God-Honoring Perspective

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Life gets complicated sometimes, doesn’t it? I’ve blogged about how mine took an unexpected turn two weeks ago when my left Achilles tendon partially ruptured. Then, last Sunday my “good” knee gave out, so my mobility is now limited to my bottom (I’m gaining new skills at scooting across the floor!) and my wheelchair. No weight-bearing allowed on either leg.

My injury means canceling a ministry trip to Moscow. It also means canceling a weekend retreat I’d planned for businesswomen. My husband and I likely won’t be able to attend our annual staff conference in Romania this spring, either. Besides adjusting our schedule, my husband is hosting our missions booth without me at Missions Fest Vancouver this weekend, and he’ll do the same in February for Missions Fest Alberta.

And then there are the practical implications of my new normal. I can’t even stand to fetch a coffee mug from my cupboard. But that’s the least of my concerns, really.

All this to say…life often heads a direction we don’t choose. That direction might involve our marriage, kids, health, employment, or any number of things we hold dear. A childhood friend of mine just learned that the cancer, for which she’s had treatment, has returned and spread. Another gal I know struggles with the stress of raising a child with special needs. And yet another wrestles with raising her kids alone after her husband took off with another woman.

When stuff happens, we decide how to respond. It’s easy to whine, feel ticked-off or cheated, but that attitude takes us down the wrong road. Our challenge is to maintain a God-honoring perspective. How do we do that? Here are three suggestions:

  • Give thanks. Sounds trite, perhaps, but it’s true. I give thanks for the simplest things now—I can reach the water tap in my kitchen, hoist myself up the stairs to my bedroom at night, and sleep in my own bed. Giving thanks uproots negativity and plants joy in its place.
  • Remember God’s sovereignty. Nothing takes God by surprise. He’s either sovereign or He’s not—there’s no halfway. He’s not scrambling willy-nilly to fix the unexpected. He’s “got our back.” He’s there for us, offering to answer our cries for help and infuse us with His strength.
  • Be open. Ask God to reveal Himself to you in new ways through the unexpected. Ask Him to glorify Himself through the situation, whatever it is. Keep your eyes and ears open to the Holy Spirit’s voice, and allow Him to show you the treasures hidden in the darkness.

Why is having a God-honoring perspective so important? Because Jesus says so.

One day He told His disciples that He’d go to Jerusalem, suffer many terrible things, be killed, and then rise again. Peter reprimanded Jesus saying, “Heaven forbid! This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to him and said, ”Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s” (Matthew 16:22,23).

Strong words, He spoke. They challenge me to sit up and pay attention. Seeing life’s challenges from a human point of view causes frustration, anger, and even bitterness. But seeing them from God’s perspective reassures us that our challenges are not in vain and we’re not alone as we walk through them.

What challenges are you facing today? Seek to maintain God’s perspective, and you, and those around you, will be blessed.

Photo courtesy: http://mrg.bz/onjocH

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Wisdom Wednesday

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012

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Got Joy?

Friday, November 23rd, 2012

Someone once said, “How do you spell joy? Jesus. Others, You.”  Simple, and true. Life works well when we keep Jesus as our first love and then, in turn, lavish love on others rather than focusing on ourselves.

This morning I read some words that add another dimension to the J in Joy.  They say, “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws, and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths “ (Psalm 119:1-3).

Quite honestly, obeying God’s laws doesn’t always feel joyful especially if doing so collides with our wants or perceived rights. Take, for example, His command to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us.

How about remaining faithful and respectful of one’s spouse when he/she shows no interest in keeping your marriage alive? What about tithing when finances are tight? What about taking a God-given risk when there’s no hint of the results it might bring? How about obeying the speed limit even though doing so means we’ll likely be late for a meeting? (Consider the possible options to that one and then ask yourself how joyful you’d feel paying a speeding ticket!)

Sometimes we consider God’s commands as old-fashioned or constricting. Perhaps it’s time for an attitude adjustment. We need to embrace them as safeguards placed by a loving, all-wise heavenly Father or as the strategies for successful living. Obeying them results in true joy even when it hurts or it’s inconvenient.

Answer this question: On a scale of 1 to 10, what’s your joy level today? What action can you take to move it at least one notch higher?

Photo courtesy: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Wisdom Wednesday

Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

A fresh perspective on one’s to-do list…

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A Lesson About True Joy–Learned in Romania

Friday, August 10th, 2012

I’m still mentally processing lessons learned while in Eastern Europe this summer. For instance, working in Romania among a group of young adults living with serious health issues deepened my understanding about true joy.

I find immeasurable joy in in my grandchildren’s hugs. I find joy in knowing my kids and their spouses love the Lord, and in hearing my husband’s hello when he comes home from the office. Joy, for me, comes in knowing my writing or teaching has given someone direction or hope. It comes in spending time alone with God in the morning’s early hours. These things, and other simple pleasures, bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

But what if my circumstances looked different? What if my health deteriorated and I was no longer able to walk or talk or care for my own needs? What if my home was foreclosed, or my husband walked out on me? What if I’d experienced abandonment and abuse similar to that of my Romanian friends? What if my present involved the same struggles they face, or my future on this earth looked as uncertain? How joyful might I feel then?

Sitting beside the Danube River early one morning in July, I read Psalm 4:6-8: “Let your face smile on us, LORD. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.”

Those words leapt off the page that day. They reminded me that life’s circumstances can be dire indeed, but joy remains possible thanks to the Lord’s presence in our lives. Money, health, and creature comforts—although nice to have—ultimately do not bring the joy and peace we crave. It’s found in Christ alone.

These Scriptures have become very meaningful to me. I’ve turned them into a prayer: “Dear Father, please make your face smile on us (and on my brave Romanian friends). Grant us (and them) greater joy than those who have great material abundance. Grant us (and them) peace in knowing that You alone keep us safe. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Thanks for listening as I process the things I saw and learned. I pray that the lessons I’ve learned from yet another missions trip will bless you, too.

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