Archive for the ‘Devotionals’ Category

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Musings About My Marriage — On Our 30th Anniversary

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Today I’m taking the liberty of posting something far different from my usual devotional blog. That’s because this is a very special day: my 30th wedding anniversary.

To mark this day, I want to bless my hubby by telling the world that he’s the greatest! Here are some things I appreciate most about Gene:

  • He prays with me every night before we fall asleep.
  • He’s faithful to me.
  • He listens to me without trying to “fix” my problems.
  • He encourages me to pursue my dreams.
  • He makes me laugh.
  • He loves to spend time with our kids and grandkidlets.
  • He never speaks unkindly about other people.
  • He’s a romantic at heart.
  • He strives to stay fit.
  • He’s not afraid to take risks.
  • He ensures that the gas tank is filled.
  • He provides technological support for my computer needs.
  • The list goes on…

Gene and I knew each other only six weeks before he proposed. Some onlookers shook their heads and said our relationship would never last. Statistics backed their misgivings, but reality has proven them wrong.

We’ve weathered a fair share of ups and downs in the past three decades. We’ve even argued now and again. And yet, we’ve grown stronger and closer. We’re best friends, and we look forward to deepening our relationship over the next 30 or 40 years. We’ll re-negotiate after that!

To all young marrieds, to those considering marriage, or to those who have a few years of experience, I want to say that marriage is a wonderful gift. Give selflessly. Love unconditionally. Laugh much. Date often. Adore your partner. Guard your relationship. The effort is worth it.

Musings from a happily married woman….

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God Delights in Giving Peace

Friday, February 17th, 2012

What’s God like?

The Bible’s filled with descriptions. Here’s one that means a lot to me: “Great is the Lord who delights in blessing his servant with peace” (Psalm 35:27).

The fact that God delights in blessing His servants with peace has become very real to me in the past three weeks. Life’s whizzed by at breakneck speed with several major events crammed into a small space…

Three weekends ago, we spent three loooong days at Missions Fest Vancouver, hosting a booth and talking to countless people about summer ministry opportunities. I’d barely caught my breath before the next weekend with its first annual businesswomen’s retreat. The day after the retreat, my husband and I traveled to Vancouver Island for a speaking engagement.

Following that meeting, we escaped for three nights of R&R. When the mini-holiday ended, we began our trip home. That’s when we received a call saying that our daughter-in-law was in labor. We spent last weekend babysitting the other three grandkidlets, and then celebrated the birth of our fourth grandbaby on Saturday evening.

In the midst of the whirlwind, I’m writing articles under deadline and trying to prepare for upcoming speaking engagements. I can let the pressure stress me out, or I can remember the words of Psalm 35:27 and make them personal. I choose the latter. Indeed, as I commit each day to the Lord and invite Him to accomplish through me what’s truly important that day, He blesses me with peace.

This week I learned about a friend’s husband leaving their 29-year marriage. Another friend is battling for her life following a bone marrow transplant. One buried her husband a few days ago, and another is undergoing radiation for breast cancer. Each of these women is undergoing very difficult circumstances right now, but deep down, they all know peace. They’re experiencing God as He’s described in Psalm 35:27.

God delights in blessing His servants with peace. I love that aspect of His character. What characteristic means the most to you at this season in your life?

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

Happy Valentine’s Day, my friend. Know you are loved!

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Joy Comes From Doing What’s Right

Monday, February 13th, 2012

“Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!” (Psalm 32:11)

For nearly half a year I balked at the idea of hosting a weekend getaway for businesswomen. After all, I reasoned, it wasn’t my idea. I don’t really need anything else on my plate. Besides, I haven’t a clue how to network and advertise.

All along, I knew my attitude was wrong. If God had truly planted the idea in my head, then my only recourse was to do it, right? If only it was that easy.

My joy started to dissipate when September arrived without my reserving a venue for the weekend that I knew must be held in February 2012. I began descending into a dark place spiritually. My Bible reading turned to dust. “I’ve never experienced a desert of the soul like this,” I told my husband one day. “I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“You know exactly what’s wrong,” whispered a quiet voice within. “You’re not doing what you know to be right.”

Ouch!

The message convicted me. I wrote a deposit check and sent it to the venue of choice. My joy returned. And I began making serious plans. Long story short, the businesswomen’s weekend getaway happened last weekend. Three dozen women showed up, some from nine hours’ drive away. We laughed, played board games, ziplined, went tubing, enjoyed spa treatments, and learned strategies for overcoming hurdles in life.  Judging by the comments, it was a great success. I look forward to it being an annual event.

I think back over the weekend getaway and the long process of the soul leading up to it, and I understand the truth of Psalm 32:11. Obeying what God asks us to do results in joy. The process might involve hard work and personal sacrifice, but ultimately there’s sheer gladness in knowing there’s nothing hindering relationship with Him. Next time I won’t dilly-dally around before saying yes!

Can you relate? Is your heart pure before God? Are you experiencing the gladness that comes from doing what He’s asked you to do?

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From Mourning to Joy

Monday, February 6th, 2012

There it is. My word for 2012 – joy – has popped up again. This time it appeared in Psalm 30:5 and 11 – “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning…You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.”

What a promise for those who grieve! What a statement of hope for men and women in pain.

Last night my heart broke when I read my emails. Two women shared stories of losing their husbands recently – one through cancer, and the other through a marriage breakup. Both women are mourning their loss. Their nights are long and lonely, and their days are empty as they seek to make sense of what’s happened and how to embrace life with its new normal.

Joy isn’t part of these women’s vocabulary at this point on their journey. It might be difficult for them to even imagine that it will one day return, but it will. Slowly, slowly the pain will dissipate. Darkness will turn to dawn as God fills their hearts with an ever-increasing peace that passes human understanding. Laughter will live again.

I read these emails and whispered a prayer for these women. A prayer that they will soon be clothed with joy. That each morning will bring renewed hope. That each new day will bring restored faith and confidence in the One who loves them and knows their deepest hurts.

If you’re experiencing a nighttime of the soul, then this is my prayer for you, too. May God ease your pain and fill you with joy. May today put a dance – a joyful dance – into your step. You are loved!

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Cell Phones and Bibles

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

What would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cellphone? Here’s a good read from Focus on the Family.

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Moses, Miracles, and God’s Mind-Boggling Methods

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Sometimes God’s methods leave me scratching my head. Take Moses’ story, for example.

The Hebrews had been held in slavery in Egypt for hundreds of years. One day, God decided enough was enough. He could have simply said the words, “Let my people go,” and softened Pharaoh’s heart to say, “Sure thing, God.” Instead, He hardened Pharaoh’s heart and then devised ten plagues to change his mind. What’s with that?

Exodus 10: 1-2 explain God’s methodology: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them. I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the LORD.’”

Why did God choose a mind-boggling method to set His people free? Three reasons:

  • Because He wanted to show His mighty, miraculous power among those who didn’t acknowledge Him as the true God. The Egyptians sorcerers were able to copycat some of the same miracles at first, but as the stakes grew higher, God’s one-of-a kind power became more apparent.
  • Because He wanted the impact of what He did to last for generations to come. “I’ve done it so you can tell your children and your grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them,” He said. An approach that could be easily explained by human understanding would not have a significant lingering effect.
  • Because He wanted Moses to know Him as the only true and living God. Experiencing Him do the impossible would certainly accomplish this feat.

Sometimes I scratch my head at God’s methods in my own life, too. For instance, several months ago I watched a childhood friend suffer with cancer and eventually succumb to the disease. With so many friends and family praying for her healing, why didn’t God simply speak the words, “Be well”? Why did He choose a different method to secure her ultimate healing and allow her to die instead?

Perhaps it’s because my friend’s testimony caused her doctors and nurses to take notice of her faith. Throughout her painful journey, they witnessed her inner strength and peace and joy. They saw her family unite in their sorrow, and they saw them experience hope in the midst of great pain. Through the family’s heart-breaking experience, they experienced God’s faithfulness, and they continue to do so today. They have come to know God in a new and more intimate way.

I confess that I don’t understand God’s methods sometimes. They leave me scratching my head. And yet, I need to trust that He is in control, and He’s a lot smarter than I am.

Can you relate? Can you recall a time when God’s methods left you wondering what in the world He was doing?

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Quiet Time with God: 8 Ways to Keep Your Devotions Vibrant

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Celebrate with me!  Peaceful Moments to Begin Your Day: Devotions for Busy Women (Harvest House) is now available! It’s filled with spiritual aha moments guaranteed to draw readers into a more intimate walk with God. It also includes more than 100 Scripture-based praise and intercessory prayers. The book is available online, at bookstores nationwide, and on my website.

Today’s blog is a little longer than usual because I wanted to share some thoughts about the importance of spending time with God and how to keep those times vibrant. Read on….

(more…)

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Busting the Myths About the Bible

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

‘The Bible’s nothin’ more than an old-fashioned book,” some people say. “A book filled with rules designed to steal all our fun.”

Others say, “The Bible’s merely a collection of fairy tales. Who in their right mind could ever really believe the story about Noah building an ark and filling it with animals two-by-two?”

Some regard the Bible as a holy book and treat it with reverence although they neither read nor apply it. Simply having a copy in their possession somehow makes them feel safe, or like a moral, upright person.

I beg to differ from all of the above.

The Bible is God’s word to mankind. It’s written to protect us, to warn, to encourage, and to develop intimacy between Creator and created. Some people might find its words harsh, but oddly enough, the same folks find solace there in times of sorrow. Who isn’t familiar with Psalm 23—“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…”?

The Bible contains answers for every issue we face. Its words give us direction for healthy marriages, parenting, finances, and priorities. It’s all there. We just need to read it and then apply its principles.

These Scriptures popped off the page at me today:

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living…the laws of the LORD are true: each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest fold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them” (Psalm 19:7-11 NLT).

These words describe the Bible I cherish. Its words revive me when I’m feeling weary and beat-up on the inside. They give me wisdom. They bring joy, and they teach me how to live. They mean more than all the money in the world to me, and when I do what they say, they reward me with peace.

The Bible’s isn’t an old-fashioned book written to rob me of pleasure. Rather, it gives me pleasure. It gives me answers, and it gives me an insight into God’s way of thinking. When I do life His way, I will prosper. Neglecting it would be foolhardy.

What do you think about the Bible?

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10 Ways to Draw Attention to Yourself

Friday, January 20th, 2012
Wanna stand out from the crowd? Here are 10 ways to do so:
* Stand on Wall Street during rush hour and shout, “Hey, everyone, thanks for doing what you do!”
* Commit a front-page crime.
* Try to smuggle a banned substance through airport security.
* Scream, “It’s not my fault! You’ve got the wrong guy!” when airport security drags you into a little room for questioning.
* Threaten the US President on FB and Twitter.
* Dye your hair pink and wear polyester paisley prints to work.
* Write a NYT bestseller.
* Become Mother Teresa #2.
* Clone yourself to look like Pippa Middleton.
* Predict doomsday and then spread the warning worldwide like the guy did last year.
If you’re sick and tired of blending into the crowd, then try one or all of the above.  I guarantee doing so will cause others to notice you. You might even become a household name.

However, you might prefer to play it safer than sorry. If so, here’s another suggestion: Let the Holy Spirit completely fill and control you. It worked for Joseph; it’ll probably work for you, too.

Genesis tells the story of Joseph’s life. He’d been shipped off to Egypt, sold as a slave by his own flesh and blood.  After 13 years of character development, he got his big break when Pharaoh asked him to interpret a couple of disturbing dreams.

Joseph did something that Egypt’s wise men could not do—he told the boss what his dreams meant. Here’s what happened next: “So Pharaoh asked his officials, ‘Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?’ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are’” (Genesis 41:37-39).

Joseph turned heads. He stood out from the crowd not because he, being full of himself, forced others to take notice. On the contrary, he was empty of self and full of the Holy Spirit. His yielded heart made it possible for God to do extraordinary things through him.

You and I might never do something as earth-shattering as Joseph did, but we can still turn heads in our own homes and communities. We can respond with patience and kindness when our kids and spouse irritate us. We can give generously to those in need even though our monthly budget already feels stretched. We can get involved in community affairs and share wise words to help resolve negative issues.

God wants His people to be different than the society in which we live. That difference starts with our being filled and controlled by His Holy Spirit and results in others taking notice. Hopefully it leads to their saying, “There’s something different about you. I want what you have.”

Here’s a prayer for today: “Dear God, empty me of anything that grieves You, and then fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit so that others will see a difference in my life. Set me apart for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”

Your thoughts?

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