Real Jesus Love

Times are tough in Michigan. Four of my friends have husbands who are unemployed. Many families have suddenly received pay cuts. My brother (he's 34) showed up at his job last week to find his whole department was being eliminated, effective immediately. And my dad recently learned that the company he works for was relocating to Mexico. In just a few months, my dad will also be without a job. He will be 62 years old and unemployed. I'm quite sure this is not how he envisioned his career would end.

Last week at t-ball my dad mentioned that a number of workers from Mexico were in town for a few weeks. How uncomfortable (I thought)! These workers will be taking my dad's job from him, and now he has the task of training and teaching them. I wouldn't want that responsibility! Fertile ground for bitterness and anger if you ask me!

But rather than going down a negative trail, my dad was sharing how he enjoyed getting to know these workers from Mexico. My dad shared conversations he had with them ~ both professional and personal. Instead of grumbling and complaining, my dad was forming friendships with these men while they were away from home.

Imagine my surprise when Saturday morning at Jake's hockey game, my dad announced that he had invited his co-workers from Mexico to come and watch his grandson's hockey game. And sure enough....just a few minutes into the first period, in walk nine of my dad's new friends. They had so much fun watching the game, cheering on Jake's team (Goalie - Goalie - Goalie - they would yell!). Taking pictures. Laughing and smiling and enjoying every minute of it.

After the game, my dad walked his friends over to touch the ice (they'd never seen ice before). He found a hockey puck for them to take home as a souveneir. And then he left to show them the fish ladder, the Ford Museum, and other parts of downtown Grand Rapids. After the tour, my dad invited his new friend's over for a cook-out. They spent the afternoon together grilling and talking and hanging out at my parent's home.

In the book of Luke, Jesus reminds us to love our enemies. Jesus says, If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? If you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? (Luke 6:32-33)....But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. (v 35)

Thank you, Dad, for modeling real Jesus love. :)

Can you spot my dad? (He is in the center with the red collar.) What a fun day! :)

A Glorious Day!

Do you ever have those moments when you think "Only God"?! Only God could orchestrate something so beautiful, so powerful, so amazing?! :)

This past Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to witness and participate in the baptism of my good friends Tom and Jen Torresson. The whole experience was a miracle from start to finish!

You may remember I shared the story of meeting Tom and Jen, who were both far from God and wanted nothing to do with the Christian religion. (Refresh your memory here).

Today, not only are Tom and Jen both followers of Jesus, they decided to publicly display their commitment to life in Christ by participating in their church's baptism service. I wouldn't have missed this day for the world!!

To top it off, Jen asked me if I would be the one to baptize her. Can you imagine? I cried like a baby when I thought of the awesome opportunity to share in something so special and so sacred with her.

One of the many highlights of the morning happened before the baptism began. Jen, Tom, Tom's friends, and I were sitting together waiting for the service to begin. I was sitting in between Tom and Jen ~ Tom to my left, and Jen to my right. It was almost a surreal moment.

I thought of Tom and seeing him just a few months ago lifeless in his hospital bed. (If you've forgotten Tom's miracle, read more about it here). I thought about the many, many hours of desperate prayer for Tom and his family. I reflected on the cardiologist's words, "prepare for the worst". And now, here we were, less than two months later, and Tom is healthy and strong and ready to be baptized. Only God!

Here is a picture of Tom with surrounded by friends from his men's group right before he was baptized.

And as Jen and I stood in the water together right before her baptism, I thought about our hours and hours of conversations about God and faith and joy and Jesus and more . I reflected on Jen's strength during Tom's heart attack and her faith and dependence on God ~ and how she inspires me. I celebrated God's goodness in her life and His faithfulness in bringing us both to a baptism tank at Mars Hill Bible Church.

Only God!

So today, may I ask you to do two things before you close this blog?

First, think of that person that you know that is living far from God. The one that you think would never, ever follow Jesus...much less get baptized in front of hundreds of people. (Did you think of the person?? If not, stop and think of him/her before continuing.)

Would you pray for him/her? Pray that God would remove the veils that are getting in the way of seeing Him clearly (2 Cor 4:4) and that God would surround him/her with authentic men and women who love Jesus. And pray that God would do a miracle in his/her life and that they would come to know Jesus in a personal way!

And secondly, may I ask you to pray for Tom and Jen? Would you pray that God would continue to do immeasurably more than we could even ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20)? Would you pray that God will use them to bear much fruit for the Kingdom...and perhaps next year they'll be in the tank baptizing others! Wouldn't that be fun?!

Only God!!

Let's pray...Oh Lord, Thank You that there is no one too far from You! Thank You that You are a God of miracles (I know because I'm one of them!). Please bring to mind the men and women who You have placed in our lives that do not know You. Please give us the words to say and the heart to love and the courage to point them to You. Thank You that Tom and Jen know You...and I pray You would continue to reveal Yourself to them in loving, powerful, and amazing ways. For Your purpose. For Your Glory Alone. Amen!

P.S. The picture at the top was taken right after Jen was baptized. I'm on the left with the hot pink shirt, and Jen is the one wearing the dark wet shirt on the right. Only God! :)

Encouragment for the Day

Here is one of my favorite quotes! It inspires me to live powerfully and purposeful every day!

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says..."Oh no, she/he's awake!!"

Do you have a favorite quote/scripture/word of encouragement? Share it with us...please! :)

P.S. Check back on Monday if you can! Something very EXCITING is taking place tomorrow (Sunday) and hopefully I'll have a great picture to share with you!! It's something I prayed for very specifically for over a year!! Can't wait to share it with you!

Breathe

I failed my test. My breathing test, that is.

I knew failing the test was inevitable ~ for the past few years I've really struggled with my breathing. I find myself wheezing and coughing all night long. I can't walk my dog around the block without losing my breath. When I speak at events, I have to keep an emergency inhaler tucked in the podium. My kids ask if I have an inhaler before we play outside. I've given up running. My breathing struggles have limited and restricted my everyday life.

When I went to the doctor, he told me it was asthma. Asthma?? I'm in my late 30's. How in the world did I develop asthma? The doctor gave me specific prescriptions and instructions to manage my asthma ~ take Claritin every morning, use a Flovent inhaler every day, and only use my rescue inhaler in case of emergency.

What did I do? I used the Flovent inhaler...a couple of times. I took the Claritin...for about 3 days. And then the Flovent and the Claritin sat on the shelf. I relied on my rescue inhaler too often. I missed out on fun opportunities and adventures. I accepted my new restricted lifestyle and thought I'd be stuck this way forever.

When the day came last month to take a new breathing test, I knew the results would not be good. The doctor asked if I was following his specific instructions. Was I using the Flovent? No. Claritin? Not really. The prescriptions were filled and ready to go, but they were both sitting on the shelf unused.

I came home with a resolve this time to do what the doctor had told me to do. I put a chart by my bathroom sink. I used the Flovent. Check. I took the Claritin. Check. Soon my chart was filled with check marks ~ and low and behold, I could run! I could play! I could breathe!

As I've been reflecting on my breathing journey, I've thought about other areas in my life where I leave things "sitting on the shelf". I wonder why I struggle with defeated thinking, or with fear, or feeling not good enough ~ but upon closer inspection...realize I've not followed God's specific instructions. Truth is left sitting on the shelf.

Scripture is clear we have been given everything we need to live the full life in Christ. Everything we need. But we need to do our part too. Having the prescriptions filled isn't the same as taking the prescribed dose each day. I must faithfully put into practice the specific instructions given to us through the Word. I must spend time in God's presence. I must refuse to accept a life filled with fear or defeated thinking or guilt. I must be intentional about the renewing of my mind. It's not enough for me to have a verse written on an index card ~ I must put Truth into practice!

How about for you? Are you experiencing all that God has for you?

Or are you allowing worry or unforgiveness to steal your joy?

Are you allowing fear to rob you of peace?

Are the lies of the enemy ("you're not good enough, or thin enough, or _______ enough") limiting or restricting your everyday life??

May I encourage you to put Truth into practice! Please don't leave His Words to you sitting on the shelf. Spend time daily allowing His Words of hope to bring healing to your current condition. And before you know it...you'll be running and playing and breathing like never before!! :)

Let's pray...O Lord, thank You for Truth and for Hope and for Freedom in You! Thank You for Your Words that are Powerful and Life Giving! Forgive us for accepting defeated living. Empower us to walk daily in the Fullness of Life in You! For Your Purpose! For Your Glory alone! In Jesus Name! Amen :)