Yes, you can!

Sweat poured off of me and parts of my body hurt that I didn't even know I had.  I was ready to quit, I just knew I couldn't complete the last 10 minutes of the workout I had begun.  I was upset that I had let myself get to the point that what had once been a routine task now felt like I was dying and I'll be honest, I had tears rolling down my face.  Yet I pushed through-and I did finish.  Not only that first day, but many days past it.

Before you click the X at the top right of your screen, stick with me for a minute.  I promise that this is not an exercise post about how I lost X number of pounds etc.  Anyone who looks at my picture can tell that I am not at that "ideal" weight or BMI.  I am not a dietitian or physical fitness expert and I won't pretend to be.  That is why this post is not about that.  What this post IS about is perseverance-not giving up.

I am not blessed to be one of those people who just LOVES exercise.  I don't dream of entering and winning a 5k.  But I am someone who wants to be healthy and for me that means increasing my exercise.  It means doing something that isn't especially fun in order to receive a benefit that exceeds the work I put into it.  And it occurred to me that this is a principle that applies to all areas of life, and it is one that God encourages us to apply.

James 1:12 reminds us that the person who perseveres, who withstands the trials of this life, will receive a crown of life.  Our walk as a follower of Jesus isn't always an easy one.  Just ask the teenager whose parents disown them for doing so (and yes, I personally know people that this has happened to here in the United States!).  Ask the families of the Libyan migrants who were thrown overboard and left to drown last week if following Jesus is easy.  Talk to the child in public school who is made fun of for carrying his or her Bible to class with them to see if they think following Jesus is easy.  Or ask the man who has to decide whether to do what is right and possibly lose his job, or do what Jesus teaches is wrong.  You don't have to live in another country to experience trials as a part of following Jesus example.

I don't know what you are going through right now.  You may be struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle, or you may be in a situation like one of those above.  Whatever you are going through, let me remind you that you CAN get through this. Here are a few pointers to help you out.

•  Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do ALL things through Christ.  When you face difficulty, turn to Jesus first.  
• Turn to your brothers and sisters in Christ.  (2 Timothy 2:3)  We weren't intended to walk this path without help, rather to work together and help each other to stand strong.  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
• Recognize that this difficulty only lasts for a time.  And while it may feel like it is going to last forever, our time here in the grand scheme of things is fleeting when compared to eternity.  (Psalm 144:4)
• Look for others going through a similar situation.  Perhaps you are going through this hardship so that you can provide comfort to another as God provides comfort to you.  (2 Corinthians 1:4)

So I'm going to go get back on my exercise bike, crank up some Crowder and persevere through this temporary physical difficulty.  I encourage you to stick with it and push through your difficulty - the reward will be great!

*Please note that is it not my intention to compare exercise with the sacrifices being made and the difficulties being faced by Christians all over the world.  Rather it is my hope that you can see the correlation between sticking with an exercise program that causes temporary discomfort for physical health and persevering through difficulties for an eternal reward.

*originally published on Coffee with Christ

So much better than the bunny!

We were walking through the mall, my six year old and I, while my teen daughter happily traipsed around the mall with her gal pals.  In the center court was the giant Easter display, complete with an Easter bunny and a place for children to line up for pictures.

"What's that, mommy?"

"A place for children to get their picture taken with the Easter bunny," I replied as we kept on walking towards the area of the mall that had been set up for children to play and parents to take a break.

"Don't they know the Easter bunny isn't real?  That Easter is about Jesus?" she questioned.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't judge anyone for enjoying the Easter bunny tradition.  My older children delighted in discovering their Easter baskets that had been skillfully hidden by the bunny when they were younger.  But one Easter my husband and I looked around us as the children devoured their chocolate bunnies and realized that they had totally missed the point of Easter.  That we had failed to share the importance of what were were celebrating.  And our Easter celebration became less about the bunny and more about Jesus.

In a world full of hurting people, it seems especially important to share the truth of Easter.  While a bunny may bring temporary relief (it is chocolate after all!) from the things that get us down, eventually the chocolate is gone and reality sets in again.  But if we instead focus on Jesus we see that Easter is about so much more than the bunny.  It's about one man, who was the Son of God, choosing you and I over His own comfort, even His own life.  It's about one man enduring pain, shame and rejection so that one day we won't have to.  I don't know about you, but for me that is a much better message to share with my children than the bunny.

Today is Good Friday.  A day that over 2,000 years ago must have felt anything but good to those who were there.  I can only imagine how it felt to watch the man that had become one of my closest friends, the man I believed to be God's own Son, hang on a cross and later be buried in a tomb - dead.  But it is that act that brings us so much hope today.  Hope that there is more to this life that what we are presently experiencing.  Hope that God can overcome everything!  Because if death can't hold him (and we know it can't) nothing else can either!

This Easter especially that thought brings me comfort.  It's a message I want to share with you.  No matter what you are going through, no matter how difficult or dark things may appear, this isn't the end of the story.  That is what Easter is really about.  If you know Jesus, if you have accepted the gift He freely gave on the cross, then you know how the story ends - in victory.  So don't focus on the here and now, it is fleeting.  Instead, focus on the truth that you are loved so much that He couldn't let anything separate you from Him, not even death.  No bunny can even compare to that!

*originally published on Coffee with Christ

How matzah means freedom

My girls and I have been studying the events surrounding Easter, what Jesus last days on earth were like.  Today were made matzah bread and talked about the last supper.  I wanted to impress upon them not only the importance of the last supper, but the importance of this meal to the disciples as part of their heritage.

The meal that they were eating was in remembrance of the Exodus, pharaoh finally relenting and letting the Jewish people to leave the country.  It is a story of  freedom from slavery, and a story to remember the cost of that freedom.  It was a time to reflect upon all that God has done for His people.  While the people must have been elated to be free, it had to be a confusing time as well.  They had spent 400 years as slaves, what would they do now?  How would they live?  Where would they live?  

It is fitting that Jesus chose this celebration of freedom to declare the actions that would bring about our own freedom.  We have been in bondage to sin much longer than 400 years, and it can feel like an impossibility to truly be free of it, much as the Jews must felt at the thought of ever being free of pharaoh.  It would cost Jesus everything to provide this freedom, much more than the discomfort that the Egyptians experienced before freeing the Jews.  And yet the cost to those being freed is minimal, simply a willingness to follow, a desire to be free.  

It was a beautiful thing to see my youngest daughter's excitement to be eating something similar to what Jesus must have eaten that day.  To share in that with Him.  And it saddened me when I realized that despite the command to "do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19) I have so often missed the harsh reality of the sacrifice that was made for me.  Jesus endured terrible suffering, so that on the day of judgement I would not have to be given the punishment of suffering.  Jesus endured the humility of every sin I have ever or will ever commit so that when I stand before the throne His Father will not see those sins, only the sacrifice of His Son.  Jesus endured the pain of separation from God so that I will not have to.  And the most beautiful thing?  None of it was done out of obligation, but out of love.

In Matthew 26 we read about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.  He is in anguish about the path that lies before Him.  Three times He requests that if there is any other way, if God can accomplish the reconciliation between Himself and mankind in any other way to please let that be done.  Jesus knew that what was to come was going to be excruciatingly difficult.  And yet, He didn't turn from it.  He loves each and every one of us so much that if this was to be the only way He was willing to go through it.  Stop and think about that.  This isn't the case of making the choice between you going through something difficult rather than your spouse, child or loved one having to go through it.  Jesus didn't just die for those who loved Him back.

This is like going through terrible hardship for the person at work that said horrible things about you in order to get the promotion.  Or the burglar that broke in to your house and stole everything of value that you had.  Or the drunk driver that hit the vehicle your loved ones were in and killed them and still showed no remorse.  It's hard to understand why Jesus would chose to die for those that hated and despised Him, and yet He chose to die for each of them as well.

Only love can make you do that.  Have you ever had a family member that made some terrible choices in their life?  Perhaps they became addicted to drugs and began hurting those around them.  Or perhaps it was your loved one that was the drunk driver.  When you love someone, you don't stop just because of their actions.  You love them in spite of their actions.  THIS is what Jesus has done.  He chose to love us in spite of our sins.  

For me, that is what makes Easter so special.  That is what I want my children to understand.  We don't need to be perfect to approach Him.  He already knows all the dark places in our heart and He has chosen to love us anyway.  He has chosen to cover our sins with His gift of salvation.  

Like the Jews who were freed from Egypt, we have been freed from the slavery of sin.  We may not know what the future holds, but if we are willing to follow, God will provide for us a new life, one in which He will provide for all of our needs. (Phil. 4:19)  That is true freedom!

*originally published on Coffee with Christ

Intentional

Life is a little crazy at my house right now, and honestly, I feel a little overwhelmed by the tasks I have taken on sometimes.  You know how it is, we tend to put on several different hats and try to be the best we can at all of them:  wife, mom, employee, friend, Christian.  Sometimes one hat takes precedence over another because of the phase of life we are in, other times hats get dusty from lack of use.

For the last several years I have set a personal challenge for Lent.  First, let me explain that I don't "do" Lent in the traditional sense.  I don't usually give something up, or avoid meats.  Not because I don't think those are worthy things, but because I chose to focus on something different for Lent.

For me, Lent is a time to focus on who Jesus is and what He has called us to do - Love Him and love others ((Mark 12:30-31).  Jesus spent a great deal of His life here on earth focusing on helping others, loving on others, and teaching them the Truth.  With that in mind I have chosen to spend the 40 days of Lent in acts of service rather than of penance.  Now, I am not saying my way is better than any other way.  But between prayer and service I really feel closer to Him, and isn't that what our goal should always be?  To walk closely with God.

All that being said, this year has been especially difficult for me to stay on task.  The hats that I wear seem to loom large over the day and it is too easy to let them overshadow my relationship with Jesus.  When the pile of dishes in the kitchen sink loom, (which is bad enough but imagine not being able to find ONE clean coffee cup!!!) and the task list is so long I can't find the end of it, it is so easy to "put off" my private study and prayer time, "just for a little while".  After all, God understands.

The problem is, He does.  He understands that I am allowing the things of the world to replace Him, (1 John 2:15) and that saddens Him.  (Ezekiel 18:21-23)  This Lent season I am learning to be intentional.  I have to be intentional about the task I have prayed about and embarked upon for this Lent season.  I must be intentional about keeping God before me (Exodus 20:3).  I need to be intentional about imitating Jesus in my life (1 John 2:6).  It's not an easy task, and it is one that I find I have to focus on daily, sometimes minute by minute.  But I know first hand that the time I spend focused on Jesus is NEVER wasted - and everything else still gets done.  :)




If you are interested in my Lent challenge, you can find out more here.  

*originally published at Coffee with Christ

Snow Day

Last week our little part of the world was hit by a winter storm.  Stacie and I both live on hills (there isn't much of West Virginia that isn't on a hill!) that became impassable as a result of the storm.  Who would have thought that 8 inches of snow could cause such difficulty?!  I know Stacie didn't see a mail truck or civilization for several days, and I was grateful that we had full kitchen cabinets as not very many people made it out of my subdivision and home again without having to park at the bottom of the hill and walk in.

It dropped about 5 inches of snow in one day, and despite the difficulty it caused, it was beautiful.

Glade Creek, WV

And it seemed that as soon as we adjusted to life, it snowed some more, causing havoc again.  Roads that had been cleared were again snow covered.  And once we adjusted to that it warmed up just enough to turn everything to slush and then froze again into solid sheets of ice!  I realize that many of you farther north than us are probably shaking your heads and laughing at our inability to adjust and continue our normal routines, but when you aren't used to snow it is a bit overwhelming!

Sometimes, following Jesus can be just as daunting.  We are going about our daily routines, focusing on what needs to be accomplished next, when something comes along that changes everything - Jesus.  He has always been there, like the moisture in our air, but it took the right set of circumstances for us to finally see Him.  Once we do, though, it affects every part of our life and we have to make adjustments as a result.

Some decide that they are going to continue on as if nothing has changed, ignoring the obvious.  They attempt to continue the routines they have already established despite, or in spite of, the obstacles.  This rarely ends well.  God has allowed us free will, and He will not force us to accept Him.  His way is best, though, and when we choose a different path we tend to stumble, fall and ultimately separate ourselves from Him forever.  Think of those who venture out despite the warning that the roads are dangerous and then angrily complain about the road conditions as the tow truck pulls away with their vehicle.  

Others choose to attempt to tame the snow through their own power.  You will see them determinedly shoveling snow in the middle of the storm, attempting to create their own paths.  Eventually the snow will stop, and the paths will remain clear.  But the path isn't always the best one.  I saw many instances in which snow plows attempted to remove snow off the road only to plow through parts of people's yards, or worse yet damaging roads by creating potholes.  There may be immediate results, but sometimes it isn't the path you should be on, or the path becomes more difficult than it needed to be due to our impatience.

And then there are those that choose to withdraw until the storm passes.  They acknowledge the beauty, power and majesty, but rather than enjoying it, they choose to insulate themselves from its effects.  They make personal adjustments in their lives, but others don't really see them because of the withdrawal.  This isn't was God has intended the result to be.  (John 17:16)  While our relationship with Him should change us, the change isn't meant to be one that is only evident to us.  

Finally, there are those who embrace the snow, THIS is what we are meant to do in our relationship with Jesus.  I find it interesting that the ones who tend to embrace the snow the most are also the ones that Jesus told us we should model ourselves after.  (Matthew 18:3)  Children are quick to get out in the midst of things and joyfully frolic.  They aren't concerned with the work that needs to be done, but instead with what lies immediately before them.  

It isn't easy to let go of the cares of the world, to not focus on the things that had become routine in our lives, and yet that is what we are called to do.  (Matthew 6:34)  Don't get me wrong, I am not saying we should live every day like it is a snow day, but I am saying that we need to let Jesus dictate our actions.  Besides, sometimes we DO need a snow day, a time to reconnect with the wonderment and joy of our relationship with Him.

*originally published at Coffee with Christ

And the door was shut

It was one of those days.  Nothing was going right.  My alarm went off and I hit snooze a few to many times.  When I finally registered the time I realized that I HAD to get up and get moving like 5 minutes ago.  I rushed out of bed, threw on my clothes, and woke my children.  I scoured the kitchen for some sort of quick, portable food that they could eat for breakfast.  Granola bars and fruit to the rescue!  We managed to get out the door and lucked in to favorable traffic conditions (thank you God!) and arrived ON TIME at our co-op classes.  

Only, after we entered I realized that I had forgotten my knitting bag.  Now, I know that doesn't sound like a big deal but I was working on a project that had a deadline.  I only assist with one class at co-op and I had planned to spend my down time making some serious headway on the project, only in my haste to get out the door, I had left it behind. Now I wasn't sure if I would be able to complete the project by the deadline.

It seems that being in a hurry is a problem that goes back at least as far as Jesus' time.  He told a story in Matthew about a group of bridesmaids that were preparing for the bridegroom.  You see, during Jesus time couples got engaged and then the future husband returned home and began building a home for his wife.  Only when the home was complete, and his father had approved it, was he able to return for the wedding ceremony.  Jesus tells the story that these bridesmaids went out to meet the groom.  In my mind they left in a hurry, anxious to get the party started.  Half grabbed extra oil for their lamps and the other half rushed out without it.  The groom was delayed, Jesus reported, and the bridesmaids fell asleep.  When they awoke those who had rushed out without getting the extra oil had to leave to find a vendor and purchase more.  Verse 10 says, "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut."  The bridesmaids were not permitted to enter when they returned.  Ouch!  

Jesus goes on to explain that the message of this parable was to be watchful for His return, since we don't know when it might be.  I have to admit, when I get hurried with the things of this world, my watchfulness level goes down and my focus shifts to what needs done RIGHT NOW instead.  It's a backwards way to live...and has been for some time.  

There is an old Latin saying, festina lente, which means make haste slowly.  Sounds kind of weird, but when you think about it, it makes sense.  You see, when we get in a hurry we make mistakes.  We walk out of the house without our knitting bag, or even worse we lose sight of what is really important - Jesus.  But when we take the time to focus in the midst of our haste on the details that are important, we don't find ourselves without our knitting bag.  Or worse yet, standing on the outside of that shut door.   

*originally published at Coffee with Christ

My verse of the year

I'm going to share a secret with you.  For the last couple of years, I pray during December and ask God to lead me to a verse for the upcoming year.  Some years God leads me to a verse that reminds me to rest in Him (Psalm 62:1).  Others encourage me to be more proactive in working for Him (Matthew 5:16).  And others are those that help me to better reflect His character (Psalm 19:14).  No matter what verse I am led to, it becomes a central part of me for the next year.

This year my verse is Psalm 19:14, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh LORD, my Rock and Redeemer.  Not always an easy task for me.  As a matter of fact, our struggles with controlling our tongues is actually one of the things that drew Stacie and I together and made us BFF's. This year, though, I want to go beyond just attempting to tame my tongue and look inward as well.  For our words are a reflection of our heart.  (Matthew 15:18)

Here is my secret though, I'm not very good at remembering my goal during my day to day activities.  It doesn't really matter what that goal is, whether it was resting in God, letting my light shine, and especially not the goal this year.  In the heat of the moment, when I have had little sleep, am under a lot of stress, have a little one still trying to master her own struggle with choosing the right words (and tone), and two teenagers in the house I don't always choose to react in a manner that would be acceptable to God (and upon reflection once I calm down, it really isn't to me either!).

Last year, though, I found a way to help me stay more aware of my goal.  I purchased a bracelet and had my verse stamped on it.  I'm not a bracelet wearer, so having it dangling on my wrist, catching on my shirt sleeve, reflecting the light at times, getting in the way was a constant reminder of my goal.  It helped me to stay focused.  And as a plus, I had a pretty piece of jewelry to wear and something to remind me forever of the lessons I learned that year.

Over time, however, I became accustomed to the bracelet.  Like the verse, it became a part of me, no longer an nuisance.  As a result I knew another bracelet would not be a good reminder.  So this year I visited Etsy and found a seller that was willing to create a custom ring with my verse of the year on it.  It finally arrived!

I don't usually wear a ring on my right hand, so my hope is that this serves the same purpose that the bracelet did.  I have been wearing it for about a week now and I have to admit that there have been several times that I have been saying or thinking something and found myself twisting my ring around my finger at the same time.  I then stop and consider if what I have said or thought would be pleasing to God.  

So, why am I sharing this with you?  Because no matter where you are in your Christian walk, God has something to share with you.  There is something He wants you to do -whether for the kingdom or for yourself.  Are you asking Him what it is?  Are you making a REAL effort to accomplish it if you have?  I'm not saying you need to run out and buy a bracelet or a ring and have a verse stamped on it.  I'm not even saying you need to have a verse of the year.  What I am saying is that you need to be in conversation with Him, because if you aren't doing something then I have to wonder if you have really committed to Him.  (James 2:14-26)

And if you have a verse, or even a word, of the year I would love for you to share how you keep focused on it.  Eventually I am going to run out of jewelry ideas.  :)

*originally published at Coffee with Christ