Through Thick & Thin

“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 23:17, 18 NLT)

So solid and strong. It strikes me as I ponder friendship. Men have such a bond, especially the ones from the Lord. James has friends that have been with him since elementary school whom he is still close with now.  These are lifelong friendships that God brought together. 

Why as women do we have a difficult time keeping friends or being good friends to the ones we have? Perhaps it's the very thing we discussed in my growth group I'm a member of this past week ... judging from the appearance rather than the heart ... being petty and not acting in true love towards one another. Maybe hormones play a role. Maybe emotions take over. Maybe it's a combination of factors. Nevertheless, when you consider all that I just mentioned, one common denominator comes into play ... flesh. It seems that we as women like to use our hormones and emotions as an excuse to act however we please.  I believe God is calling us to love at all times and not allow the enemy’s temptation to use excuses to overcome us. 

for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons [and daughters] of God.  – Romans 8:13-14

As believers in and of Christ, are we to die to sin and flesh daily? Yes. Are we to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16)? Yes. And most importantly, are we to love others as Christ loves us (John 13:34)? Yes!

I want to be loyal and faithful to all the women God has put in my life. I want to love each of them with a sisterly love and lift them up in prayer. And I want to treat the God-bonds (those who I know the Spirit has forged together) like David and Jonathan did: a solemn pact before the Lord even to death.  He is calling us to LOVE.  Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).  Love forgives. 

Let me leave you with what the bible says about love:

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails … - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

God, help me to love this way.  Help me to embrace the women you’ve put in my life.  And help me to treat all my friendships the way Jonathan and David did.  

***Side Note: As I've said before, if you don't follow ShineGirlsShine.com already, you should! Jill and the girls have so blessed me in the short time that I've been a part.  :) And since we're all studying the same scripture at the same time, Jill's post today is very similar to what God spoke to me about the same passage.  It's so exciting to me how God's Word is alive and speaking to us! Check it out too: http://www.shinegirlsshine.com/2013/07/monday-shine_15.html

Lesson Learned

Don’t you just love how God speaks to you through a combination of His word and your children? Sometimes it takes a while for me to get it … but when I do … Man! It pierces me.

So I’m sure you can imagine, or for those who have several children already, you know full well the challenges of disciplining children.  Not to mention, three boys under the age of 8 and a sweet, yet walking and exploring, 14-month-old baby girl.  We definitely have days where the children are especially well-behaved.  But most days, they test and push to see how much they can get away with (particularly with all the rain we’ve had this summer which equates to being cooped up). 

James and I have tried many different plans of discipline (charts, strike system, etc.), all while praying for the Lord to show us His plan.  What will work for our family? And I know you are familiar with how difficult parenting can be, no matter how many kids you have! It’s a tough job! No joke! But it’s also the most precious gift from God.  A privilege.  A reward. 

Recently, while hanging out with some dear friends, we started discussing what the bible says about discipline.  This family is so special to us.  They are godly and wise.  And they have some children who are older than ours, so we glean from them.   In talking that evening, we all agreed that first-time obedience is what children need to accomplish.  The motto at our sons’ previous Christian school is: “Obey – right away, all the way, everyday, in a cheerful way!” And I love it!

When James and I debriefed after such a good talk with our friends, we decided to try things a little different.  Our children have never been crazy bad, per say.  But we so desire to achieve complete obedience with them now so that later on in life, when there’s a lot on the line, they will be trained in obedience.  This is huge to us! So we explained to our children that we expect them to obey us, and that going forward, we are doing things differently.  No more warnings.  No more threats.  We give the direction and expect their direct obedience in respect.  Anything less than a simple yes ma'am or no ma’am (or sir) along with obedience (such as talking back, whining, asking WHY, disregarding what we say, or dare I say – telling us NO) is direct disobedience, and we will no longer tolerate it.  Zero tolerance in the form of immediate discipline.  Yeah, spelling all that out seems a little harsh, but once they ‘get it,’ oh my goodness, things are grand!  We have seen a huge difference, especially in our spunky and active three-year-old! (I could go into the whole spill about why children need boundaries, why they need to learn direct obedience early in life, and so on and so forth.  But that’s another post for another day.) 

As I was drying my hair, I was praying about the scripture I read this morning in 1 Samuel 15 that so ministered to me.  I’ve been chewing on it and thinking about it, trying to let it sink in to my spirit and mind. 

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?  Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” 

-       1 Samuel 15:22 NLT

Saul didn’t directly and completely obey God.  He did what he thought would be okay, instead of exactly what God commanded.

Sure.  Sacrifices and offerings seemed good.  God has asked for those before.  But God gave specific instructions for this specific time, and he expected direct and complete obedience.

So back to praying while drying my hair … as clear as day, God said to me in my spirit, “Christa, do you directly obey me? You have been enforcing this with your children at home.  But are you also obeying me the first-time I ask and completely?” 

Wow! Talk about His words being sharp! He cut to the core with that one.  There are several things I’ve been thinking and praying about that require God-sized answers.  I need to hear from Him before I do anything.  And I feel like He is causing me to evaluate my own obedience to Him from the past, present, and what He expects of me in the future, no matter how difficult or daunting the task may be.  He expects full obedience and submission!

Friends, as you seek the Lord, His word will change you.  It requires action.  And when He speaks, He expects us to listen and obey. 

God, today I desire to completely and directly obey you right away.  Show me all the ways that I have been disobedient.  I repent for my disobedience, Lord.  Make me right with you, Father, so our fellowship is unobstructed.  And help me to walk forward with you leading me that I may be a faithful, obedient follower.  I love you, Lord! Amen!

Snake & Angels

I had the privilege of being a guest blogger on the SHINE girls blog (I LOVE this ministry ... if you don't follow this blog, you should!) this morning. Here is the post:

Have you ever spent time meditating on how many times God has protected you? And I’m not talking about the times that we can’t particularly pinpoint.  I’m sure those happen thousands of times daily, and we don’t even know it.  I’m talking about times where you experienced His hand covering you …

I think about it often.  And I think it’s good for us to reflect on His goodness and how He protects and loves us.  It draws us closer to Him.  It causes us to have a heart of gratitude to our Heavenly Father.

So you wonder what I’m talking about? Well, there is a spiritual battle going on that we are not always permitted to see.  So many times, we get caught up in our daily activities and busy lives.  It’s often too easy to forget that there is a spiritual war going on.  Satan and his demons come to kill, steal and destroy. (John 10:10) Evil lurks and has dominion over the earth.  Yet God’s goodness overcomes! And our God has assigned angels over us to encamp about us and combat the enemy (Psalm 91:11).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" … For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone. – Psalm 91:1, 2, 9-12

I’m so glad to serve a God who protects us against the enemy.  While He does allow us to suffer and go through very difficult times, even some to death, if our faith and trust is in Him, He ultimately rescues us from the snares of death and from the defeat of the enemy.  For if our faith and trust is in Christ Jesus, His blood shed on the cross covers us and makes a way.  Even though our flesh may die, Christ’s sacrifice lets us be with God for all eternity! Praise the Lord!

My husband, James, and me

As long as we’re on this side of heaven though, we do live in a fallen world where the enemy is on the prowl.  There have been countless times in my life where I was able to clearly see God’s hand covering me.  And that’s what got this post started.  I can sit and remember many times over my lifetime so far.

A few years ago when Noah, my first-born, was about two, we were swimming in my parents’ pool with my brother and his wife.  James, my husband, was playing with Noah while I was standing in the shallow end talking to everybody.  We were all laughing and having a good time.  James and my brother were playing with Noah and splashing.  And I remember they had been jumping off the diving board.  So the water in the pool was active and wavy.  In the midst of all the fun and commotion, I felt something brush over my left arm.  I glanced down to what looked like my wet hair at first, but a closer look revealed a brown copperhead snake slithering across my arm!! Yes! A snake was ON me! (If you know me, you know that snakes and spiders creep me out! I am that girl who is UH-FRAID of slithery, creepy creatures.) Oh my goodness! It gives me the creeps just thinking about it! Needless to say, you can probably imagine my horror.  I was out of that pool fast.  James said it looked like I walked on the water.  And I was worried about everyone else, especially my little boy!! It took me several minutes to calm down. 

Well, I think it’s awful that a venomous snake was on me.  But how much more awful could it have been had the snake bitten me or one of the other people in the pool? I believe God’s angels were with us. 

My four children

And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been walking down stairs or downhill on a dangerous trek where injury would be inevitable, feeling myself about to trip and fall, and somehow I regain my footing without falling.  I remember that happening often on campus at UGA going to and from classes.  And now that my kids’ bedrooms are upstairs, it happens even more going down the stairs.  And it may seem silly, but I thank the Lord in the moment.  Whether under my breath or out loud, I thank the Lord that He kept my feet from slipping.

Or what about the times when you’re in your car heading somewhere and you are almost sideswiped by another vehicle?  And you can see before your eyes, as if in slow motion, how the hand of God or a line of angels was right with you keeping you from harm.  Those are moments that almost take my breath away.  And when I consider the magnitude of what just took place, I’m shaken with the reality that my God is surely right with me!

My sweet family of six

Those are just a couple examples right off the top of my head.  There are so many other instances of which I can think that God has intervened on my behalf.  Some big.  Some seemingly smaller.  And that’s just in my own life.  I can reflect on stories from family and friends who have been guarded and protected in so many situations. 

Read over and ponder the following verses for a moment:

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Rom 8:5

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:7

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Col 3:2

See a pattern? It’s easy for our minds to be set on flesh or earthly things.  We live in this world with all of its enticements and temptations.  But if we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior, He has brought us to life in Him.  Our spirits are new.  And He tells us to set our minds on Him and what the Spirit desires.  God gives us the power through Him to accomplish this.  It’s possible with Him!

I fully believe God wants us to be aware and not forget about the spiritual battle that’s going on around us.  I challenge you to carve out some time to just sit in God’s presence and let Him reveal the many ways He has protected you, whether big or small.  And write it down so that you can come back to it.  In reflecting on His goodness and His power in your own life, I think it will help you remember all day long to thank Him. And it will keep our minds sharp. It will keep us from getting foggy and focused on ourselves and from doing things out of our own strength.  I want to live and operate in God’s power! I want to always remember that there’s a real enemy out to steal my joy and destroy others.  There’s a war for the souls of the lost.  God, activate my faith.  Help me see with my spiritual eyes.  Help me to always trust you and believe your word.  Lord, help me keep my mind on you and your ways so that I’m not distracted by all the things in this world vying for my attention and a real enemy that seeks to turn me away from You.  And God, help me to always give thanks for the many ways that You rescue and protect me in this life.  

Candid shot

Photo Credit: Joy Neville Photography

Long time, no post!

Hi guys! Wow! It's been so long since I've posted! I'm so sorry I went so long without blogging.  In March, my family and I moved to a new house, and it took over a month before we had internet service again! Crazy, huh? And after the holidays leading up to March, we were in preparation and moving mode.  I have still been journaling, but I just couldn't seem to find a moment to sit down and post online.  It feels so good to get back at it! I hope and pray you are all well and still growing in your walk with Christ.

A lot has happened in my life lately.  We did move.  We love our new house.  It's definitely more spacious for our family of six.  A few people have commented that we probably just don't know what to do with all the space ... but we're figuring it out pretty quickly.  :) With three boys and an almost walking baby girl, the extra space is surely a blessing! It's also nice that my husband has a bonafide office now.  As he works from home often and is getting a new business launched, he is very thankful for a mostly quiet room where he can set up shop.

My sweet baby girl had her one year old birthday this past weekend! She's growing too fast! It's bittersweet.  I enjoy seeing her grow and witnessing her personality take shape.  She's so beautiful, inside and out, already! But it also makes me a little sad that she's outgrowing all of her baby clothes and growing out of the baby stages.  I know every mom has similar thoughts watching their babies turn into toddlers.

So those are just a couple of the events that have taken place in my personal life over the past few months.  Don't you love how firm and secure our heavenly Father is? No matter what circumstances take place in our lives, He is always the same. Yesterday, today and forever! He is constant.  That is such a comforting thought.  We can always come to the Father, amid our sometimes hectic lives, and find peace and rest because He's always there and always the same.

As I was reading the Word this morning, I always pull up my YouVersion bible app on my phone for reference of different translations.  I enjoy reading the daily verse that pops up.  Today, it was a verse from Colossians.  I usually go to the entire chapter to read the context.  Well, some verses from that chapter got me excited today ...

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)

Good stuff, huh? Really, the whole chapter is awesome.  I just didn't want to paste the whole thing to this post.  God is reminding me today how it's so easy to become engulfed and distracted with the things of this world. There's much noise around us. That noise tries to get in our heads, much like a nagging song that you hear in the morning and cannot seem to get out of your head. It stays with you all day long. Any quiet moment, and you find yourself humming the tune. And it gets on your nerves every time! So you wish you had never heard the song at all. 

The world in which we live is a lot like that song. When we listen and think about the things of the world, fear, doubt, worry, anger, insecurity, and many other sorts of evil temptations seep into our minds and then our spirits. I believe that's why we are reminded in Colossians to "think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth." We are now living in Christ, not our flesh. He wants to be victorious in our daily lives. He IS victorious! I want to give Him the reigns to my life daily so that He's victorious through me.  I believe we must choose this day whom we will serve! I pray that I whole-heartedly serve my Savior today. 

Lord, by the power of your Holy Spirit, I set aside the thoughts of this world. I lay it all at your feet. Let my life be hidden in You. I desire to be pleasing to you and to be effective in your kingdom today. Lord, help me to think on good things, heavenly things. Guard my heart against evil. Receive ALL glory today, Father. In Jesus' name, Amen!

That's my prayer for you as well! I hope you have a victorious day in Christ! Like my good friend, Katie, says: "Go with God"!

Myth or Message? Special post!!

Hi all! So it's been a couple weeks since I've posted.  This is definitely a busy time of the year for us all ... Christmas is less than a week away!! And just yesterday, my hubby wrote an awesome article that I just have to post! It's very applicable to this time of the year.  And on this topic, I couldn't have said it any better!  So ladies and gentlemen, I give you ... an article from James Rooks.

Myth or Message?  by James Rooks - December 17, 2012

This was the title theme of a church camp that I attended after my 9th grade year of high school with the Oxford Baptist Youth Group.  The camp, called Centrifuge, was in Panama City Beach, FL.  A big part of the week was invested into helping us as youth to discern what was a myth and what was the real message. In a society of mixed messages and motives, sometimes it’s hard to tell, right? Twenty-two years later, the song and theme from that week of camp have resurfaced into my thoughts as we approach the Christmas season. 

I've now been married for 9 1/2 years and have 4 children ages 7, 5, 3, and 7 months.  As parents of four young ones, my wife and I face the challenge of what to do with Santa Claus, Elf on the Shelf, and presents, while trying to instill into our kids the true meaning of Christmas.  There's definitely a push to keep Christmas 'fun' for the kids with the make believe stuff, but I do find it a struggle to carry on a game.  On one hand, the kids will one day find out that it was just a story.  And on the other hand, how do I help them see that the story of God, Creator of the Universe, sending a Savior to come rescue us so that we can be with Him in Heaven forever is real?   How do I know they're not just waiting for me to pull the rug out from under them on this one too?  Some might find it offensive or uncool to mess with Santa, but as a Christian parent, it's something to think about.  I know we want to keep it "fun," but what’s more fun than knowing that Christmas is a time when we get to celebrate the arrival of our Redeemer?  If you have even a little grasp of what you've been saved from and the hope of what we are now headed for, remembering and celebrating Jesus' birth is exciting.  I'm not trying to get on a campaign for parents to quit Santa; I’m just offering a challenge to get you into the thought process from that perspective.  

So back to the myth and message thought … on the myth side: let's talk about Santa, Elf on the Shelf, and all the gifts.  We've got Santa, who spends all year preparing gifts for all the good little boys and girls.  He knows if you've been bad or good.  He's got a running list and checks it twice (maybe more).  Somehow on Christmas Eve, he is able to sneak into everyone's houses, deliver the gifts, and make it back to the North Pole by morning.  Santa seems to be outside of time, he'd have to be in order to make that many stops in one night.  

Secondly, we've got the Elf on the Shelf.  This is new to me.  I think it’s a couple of years old … I'm not sure.  But after reading the book and seeing the Christmas movie about the Elf, I've found out that this Elf watches the kids and reports back to Santa every night while the kids are asleep.  The kids can't touch the Elf.  And for fun, parents get to pose the Elf in different funny scenes, take pictures (and post them on Facebook).  Some of the photos I’ve seen have been pretty funny and creative. 

Lastly, we have the gifts.  Everybody loves getting good gifts.   Every year we hope to out do ourselves from the year before.  Toy catalogs and commercials are designed to leave your kids with three words: "I WANT THAT!"  It’s fun to give the gifts, and it’s fun to get the gifts.  Even as adults, we still look forward to being surprised somehow on Christmas morning.  The problem with gifts, most of the time, is that they never measure up to our hopes and dreams.  Within weeks or even days, our kids are looking forward to an upcoming birthday for the next fix.  

I lay all this out there to begin to make a point.  Where does all this come from?  Santa, Elf on the Shelf, etc. … I know in large part it’s commercialism.  I mean, who'd have thought you could sell a kids book and felt/plastic doll for $30? Yes.  We gave the Elf on the Shelf a try.  It was short lived though, which I may explain some other time.  It’s my opinion that the desire for there to be an all seeing/knowing father figure (like Santa), an elf watching over you, and getting stuff to make us happy isn't just born out of consumerism.  I think it’s something deeper.  The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (NIV)”  Did you catch that?  

Where does the idea of someone watching us, knowing us, and knowing our deeds come from?  Do we know anybody like that?  But wait, there's more. “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar … before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."  Psalm 139:2, 4, & 6 (NIV) 

We're not talking Santa here.  We are talking about God.  

Check out this passage about angels in Matthew 18:10: “see that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (NIV – emphasis mine).  This is Jesus talking to the disciples concerning children who had gathered at Jesus' feet.  Jesus says "their angels,” which is used in a possessive manner, indicating that the angels are assigned to individual children, and their job is to report back to the Father.  Interesting, huh?

Lastly, in regards to gifts, there are many scripture references for this, but I want to focus on just a couple.  We know that God gave the best gift in the history of all eternity when, in the dark of night while many were asleep, in a small town, He gave us Jesus.  "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him" Mat 7:11 (NIV).  We know that God gives many gifts, but none are better than the gift of His only Son.  And unlike Santa, who gives gifts based on good and bad behavior, we know that Jesus is a free gift that none of us deserve.  Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) tells us, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."  The awesome part about the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus is it never goes away, and it is all-satisfying.  Jesus says in John 4:14 (NIV), "but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."   

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Cor 9:15 (NIV)

My hope in writing this is not to convince parents to go wake their kids up and tell them that Santa is make belief or anything like that.  I do believe it is our duty to help our kids grow in knowledge of the Lord, and part of that is being able to understand the difference between a myth and a Message.  The good news for us as a family has been that in the midst of talks about Santa and elves, we have had some great talks with our boys.  We haven't tried to shy away from it, but we’ve been able to go to scripture and explain things like Matthew 18 and how God has angels assigned to each one of them … and yes!  It’s real!  With this message, I don't have to worry about them out-growing the fun of belief and wonder.  It is something we can grow in together.  As a Christian dad, I'm still learning every day, probably more now than ever, that I need the Lord and His Word.