Author: Vickie

I’ve lost my last two attempts to produce a post this week. All I did was click something wrong and they were gone. The third time, they say, is a charm. This will be my “untitled” post since, I’m not sure where it’s headed. Just some words about the journey and how God is good. Good to me and good at being God.

That last sentence was one adopted after I read “Uninvited” by Lisa TerKeurst. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good book to help deal with rejection and the struggles you might be dealing with. And who isn’t? It stings when you get up in the morning and just want to live your life the best you know how and someone or something enters into it and, wham!, you didn’t see that coming.

I can’t fathom, since I met Jesus, living one more hour of one more day without knowing that God is good, good to me and good at being God. As I look over at my Bible on the beautiful stand my father made for me, I see the side where I’ve opened the pages and they are looking frayed. The beautiful gold edges are looking like they have been touched and flipped through many times. This is how I know God is good. His Word tells me so, and His presence as I spend time in it, assures me that He is mine.

So this is where this is going. As my coffee brewed this morning, the Holy Spirit said to me “Remember what you watched last night?” It was one of those nature shows by National Geographic where these folks live in the wilderness all by themselves and take pride in just surviving the day to day in the harsh environment of Alaska. How does that work? It seems like such  a contradiction. They live a secluded life yet they are on media where millions watch them day and night?

I know that Scripture teaches there are, sometimes, periods when God calls us to be secluded to have quiet, reflective time with Him.  Away from other people so we can focus on Him alone. As an introvert, I would love to just live “Jesus and me” but that is not the command. The command is to love and show love and share the gospel. Maybe those wilderness folks take their influence and compensation and support others who share the gospel. My job is not to judge. I am only responsible for using the experiences God allows in my life in the ways He leads me to. The peace God gives when we give Him our cares can’t be understood. It just happens. As the Scripture says:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God, and the peace of God which surpasses understanding will fill your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Casting all  your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

As this cold winter continues to press on, remember His goodness, His love and care, and His power to be the One in control. He doesn’t do anything haphazard or wild or crazy. When our faith remains in Him, it is not too cold and things are not too hard. They only seem that way when we are trying to survive our own wilderness without the constant reminder that He is with us.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

This scripture is right before that wonderful truth of verse 8:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

God is our supreme example that we are not to live without relationships. He sent His Son to pay the price for our sin, so He could have a relationship with us. If this is something you have never heard before, please check out “The Statement of Faith” on this site.

If you would like to find out more about Lisa’s book, check out uninvitedbook.com. Picture credit: Pillow made for me by my sweet sister, Jenny, love it!

Yes indeed, God is good. All the time.

Update Available?

My iPhone, iPad and computer have updates. All too often, I dismiss the screen because I am afraid if I update them before I’m ready, I’ll encounter changes I am not ready to deal with. God can use anything to call attention to His will. It is amazing to me how the phrases and words used to deal with today’s technology remind me of my journey of faith. Save. Delete. Update. — Salvation. Forgiveness of Sin. Renewal.

In the dentist’s chair, as a patient of course, he asks me, “Have you made any New Year’s resolutions?” “Nope” I say smugly. Remembering all the ones I have failed to keep. (Maybe the “flossing” every day is the one he’s noticed that I’ve failed at.) But I don’t care. I was waiting for the one that I really needed and that would be possible to keep.

I’ve been waiting. Today it arrived. Some new inspiration to get started on the New Year.

I get inspired by other women who serve God. If you are on Instagram, check out “Well Watered Woman.” This year’s inspiring phrase is “The Word before the World.” This is how I try to start my day anyway, but, I can get distracted. I can think the “other stuff” screams louder and so I do what I have to do.

And the other things do scream louder, those of you with littles know that all too well. When mine were little I would set my alarm to get up early and when I did, so did they it seemed. How frustrating this can be to your plan to be alone with the Lord, yet how precious and short this time is when they are needing you that way. Take heart. Do what you need to do for them, for Him. Any act of service or care done with the right attitude is holy. And it will be all good, I promise. I believe the world is what is outside your home, outside your inner circle of relationships. Time used for the ones God has given you to love and serve, should be a high priority.

You may say, “I am so busy doing what I have to do, I cannot add one more responsibility!” Time with God before the world does not have to consume so much of your time that you feel it can’t be squeezed into your daily routine. There is always enough time to have daily devotions, I promise. In truth, we are warned in Scripture that we could be weakened, become faint, “lose heart” without this effort on a daily basis. The Scripture says:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

Day by Day means: Every. Single. Day. Which means there needs to be some way you can be with the Savior that renews. The God who made you in His image.  We “water” our faith, causing it to grow, by spending our precious time with Him, instead of the world. Because of the grace and mercy of God, His Holy Spirit speaks to us through Scripture. He did not leave us without instructions or inspiration. The place we find these is in the Bible. Read it. Study it. This is the way to be renewed.

Even though it is a crucial discipline, making sure I have a daily alone time with God is not the habit that God was trying to instill in my heart this morning. I am a high-needs Christian, so time with God every day through Scripture is my oxygen. I don’t think I could breathe without my daily time with Him, alone. But I’ve been stuck lately. Not moving forward with some things I know I should be doing because I feel powerless to change. Powerless to be renewed. Powerless to update what needs updated.

I use the perishing of my “outward man (woman)” as my excuse too many times. I want to play the “aging” card. I can get so set in the way I do things that I don’t want to change. I cringe when I have to learn a new “thing” at work. I stress over a new routine or new or better habit I should take on. I need to click on the Update and go to settings and get ready for the New Year with the updated version of me, renewed by His grace. Day by day.

Wherever you are today on this journey of faith, I pray this post encourages you to get into His Word. Make time with God alone, in His Word, a priority each day. And be ready to “Update” when and how you know He is telling you to.

With His help, I purpose in my heart, I resolve, to do this in 2018. How about you?

Ponder. Have you been doing that lately? Isn’t that what practicing Advent is all about? Taking the time to thoughtfully weigh the significance of the gift of Christ. There were 400 years from the prophesy of Malachi to the Advent of Christ. Four Hundred years, between the Old and New Testaments. Then, He comes. The Flesh that fulfills the Law and joins the Old and New and makes a way for us to be welcomed back into the heart of God. The hopeful anticipation of the Messiah is fulfilled in this little Babe.

After an angel tells Mary she will carry in her womb the Son of God. After an arduous journey to Bethlehem. After labor and delivery in a stable. After she swaddled Him and made Him a manger-bed. After a star appears overhead that had never been. After angels sent shepherds fearfully scurrying to see this Miracle, and left proclaiming it “widely.” After all this, the Scriptures say:

“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19

In contrast to this pondering of Mary; can you think with me that we might ponder things at times that are of such little significance? The fruits of that kind of pondering are worry and discontent. This should tell us that maybe we are giving significance to things that are certainly not worthy and that are out of our control and we should be following the advice of the Apostle Paul.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

The heart of woman is a very precious thing. It is tender and strong and made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27) It is scientifically known that the brain of a man and a woman operate differently in relation to their emotional system. Those differences are good and right because God does not make mistakes in His creating. God created woman, out of man, to have characteristics that complement him and yes, help him; because it was not good that man was alone.

“And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18.

Later on, in Luke 2, we see this mother’s heart again. Anxious, worried to death. And she scolds her Son for being the fault of it. Which one of us mothers has not been there? Jesus was 12, that age for me and my sons was precarious. Love them to death one minute, ready to knock their block off the next. But this is Jesus, after all. In the Scriptures it says that He stayed back in the temple when the family had taken off to head back home to Nazareth. A frantic mother and father searched for him among the crowds and He was nowhere to be found. So they traipse all the way back to Jerusalem and, finally, there He is.

“So when they see Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” Luke 2:48.

Now if I were writing the Scriptures, I would have used several exclamation points. You know I like them. I am sure Mary was quite emotional, because she is a female, and we are emotional. I can imagine her thoughts, God had given her His Son to raise and she lost Him. I felt that way with my own kids. Children are gifts from God, raising them is holy work. When I see those pictures of missing children, my heart aches for their families. All I can do is know that God knows where they are and pray for them.

Mary calmed down when Jesus reminded her.

“And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49

I can imagine Mary’s expression at that point. I would have probably thought, give me a break. This is hard, this raising of You. And then she pondered again, she did not understand it, because she was like us. She did what she could do, I imagine she held her tongue (unlike me) and… “kept all these things In her heart.” Luke 2:51. Because this is what a mother does. We keep all those things that we don’t know what to do with in our hearts. All the memories of the times our children bless us so much we could burst. All those times they worry us to the bone. All of it. Deep. In our hearts.

There are the ponderings that lead us to the sin of worry. And there are ponderings that lead us straight into praise. To the praise of our God. Who is and does more for us than we could ever deserve or imagine. All this grace upon grace. Unmerited favor. Ponder and praise on this today!

Are you right on track? Are you behind? Overwhelmed? Too busy? Too tired? And if things aren’t going too well right now, is that expected? And does it matter which time of the day I ask you?

I can handle just about anything first thing in the morning, if I’ve had a good night’s sleep. That didn’t happen last night and my eyes feel real tired right now. How about yours? The thing is – we can’t be expected to pull off everything we hope to, when and how we imagine it all. Period. And that’s okay because we live in an imperfect world. Stop expecting so much of yourself and everyone else around you. Stop expecting perfection, or anything close to it, and start enjoying the effort in the everyday.

I can remember my report card from the first grade. (Back in those days, not everyone did Kindergarten.) There was the grade for the subject, then there was the grade for the “effort.” Mom always told me the “effort” was the most important. I aced that one by the way. Usually they line up but not always for me. She made me feel valued because I tried, I will never forget that. That kind of stuff brings joy in the remembering.

Laugh. Laugh when the cookies flop, the juice drops on the carpet and the package is late. Let joy be your default because Jesus is your Redeemer.

The only perfect expectation that cannot disappoint is one that is related to God. Talk to your soul, like David did, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and salvation; He is my defense: I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:5-6

You will not be giving up. You will not be a quitter because God is a Savior. He is your Rock when the winds of discouragement pummel you and try to make you unsteady. He is your Defense when that blasted accuser says “I told you so” over and over.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2: 11-14

The enemy of your soul does not want you to enjoy this Advent Season. He does not want joy in your heart or kindness or love to reign. Resist the urge to keep up with others that seem to “out-do” you. Keep looking for that “blessed hope” of this season. Settle it in your mind and heart that you have been rescued from the throes of evil, because God sent His Son. So He could be with us, always.

God gave. And the greatest gift we can share is His love. This is such a light item to put at the top of our “to-do” list. We are “His own special people” and we are “zealous for good works.” Smile, over and over. Pray for those who are having a difficult time missing loved ones. Give your time and energy to those who could use more of both. Be brave as you step out of your comfort zone to bring comfort to someone who really needs it.

You can expect this — Jesus redeems and you are His special girl, and there is always enough grace to cover any and all mess-ups.  Keep on having a joyous Advent!

Hopeful Anticipation…

I think I am more excited about celebrating Advent than I have ever been. Living in hopeful anticipation for nearly an entire month sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I didn’t arrive at this place in my Christian journey overnight. In fact, I never practiced Advent before the last few years. I thought it was some type of stuffy, man-made, orthodox, legalistic behavior that really didn’t benefit me as a Christian. I was wrong.

The difference between my “old” opinion and my “new” one is focus. I always knew that Christmas was about Jesus yet I didn’t really live it out. I obeyed the thinking that a whole lot of things had to be done and a whole lot of money was going to be spent by a certain date. That presents had to be perfect. That decorations had to be tasteful. And everyone had to be healthy and happy. That meant that it was a “good” Christmas. Wrong again.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Anyone in my close family circle knows that I am rarely ever ready for anything early. But I have my Advent wreath ready for this weekend. Complete with new candles and placed where I will light the first candle, the “Hope” candle, this Sunday morning. I plan to reflect on the promise God made to send His Son to us. (Isaiah 7:14) And the promise of His coming again. (Titus 2: 13) And it won’t be stuffy, man-made, orthodox or legalistic. I know in my heart that I don’t really even have to do it to make Him love me anymore than He already does. (Titus 3:4-7) For me, it is just a few moments of worship, of remembrance and thankfulness for the hope He brings into my life that I truly would never want to live without.

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” Titus 2:13

Some of you will practice this in your churches. Corporate worship is very important and we should do this together as the Bible commands. (Hebrews 10:25) But, if you feel led to, make Advent more personal to you than it ever has been. Spend some one-on-One time with the Savior during this Advent Season. Reflect on the gift He was and is to this world. Light your own candles of hope, love, joy and peace. Couldn’t we all use a little or a lot more of these?

Now I am not a “scrooge.” The perfect gifts, the tasteful Christmas light displays, the traditional Christmas parties and yes, even Santa, reindeer and elves can be part of this time of year. (And let me not fail to mention “The Nutcracker” ballet.) Those things are not all bad, but they are truly empty if they become our focus.

For many years, I focused on me and mine, instead of Him and His. Just as my opinions didn’t change overnight, my focus will take some time, but I already feel more peaceful about the upcoming month. Praying that letting go of what is temporal and fleeting as that last “must-have” Christmas gift, and taking hold of what really matters. God gave. Jesus came. He is coming again. And we have eternal life because of HIM.

Do you ever wait for it? The thank-you that never comes? It hurts, doesn’t it?

Thankfully (no pun intended) in my circle of family and friends, this doesn’t happen often, but in the larger sphere my life shares in, it happens. And I try not to, but I do notice it. Ungratefulness stinks here and I can only imagine how it hurts the heart of God to have given so much for us and to us and yet we can neglect to give Him thanks and praise.

In Scripture, being unthankful is harshly judged. There is a very long sentence in Romans 1 that fills verses 20 – 21:

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Did you know that by being ungrateful your thoughts can be useless? Unimportant. Ineffective. These words are also used to define the word futile. Further, the heart can become foolish, and darkened. A pretty heavy penalty for not appreciating the gifts freely given to us from God. All of them grace.

And in case we didn’t know, let me share, from Titus 3:3, the characteristics of a foolish heart. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” An unthankful heart can become dark and the consequences of the behavior of that heart are tragic. Many of us have witnessed that this year.

I don’t know about you but I hope you feel like me that those kinds of thoughts and that kind of heart is definitely not the kind you want to live with. I know we are all human and being thankful “in everything,” like we are instructed to in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, can sometimes be a bit hard. Yet, I am thankful for a God that loves us so much that while we were yet sinners He died for us (Romans 5:8) and knows that it can be hard for us. He doesn’t turn away from our prayers. Even the ones that ask for help being grateful when there seems to be little to be grateful for.

In 1 Chronicles 16, there is a beautiful portion of Scripture that my Study Bible names “David’s Song of Thanksgiving.” That psalm is preceded by some history of what was going on at the time. The Ark of God was being brought to the tabernacle that David built for God’s glory. This was a huge deal and there was a very special celebration among God’s people. In verse 4, David appoints certain people to officially record, thank and praise God. Those acts are absolutely essential to honor God, to glorify Him as God. To avoid useless thoughts and dark hearts.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments we are exhorted to be thankful, and we shouldn’t have to have a National Holiday to do it. But it is nice that our nation recognizes and sets apart a day to do just that.

Ladies and Sisters-in-the-Lord, let’s make this Thanksgiving very special. First start by thanking God for who He is and what He’s done for you and then intentionally thank others for the gift they are to you. I am very thankful for whoever reads and is blessed by this blog. I am very thankful for the kind comments you have shared and times you have thanked me for doing this. I do it because I love Jesus with all my heart and I love you, a very special friend and daughter of the King.   

Wait a Minute…

God stopped me in my tracks this morning. Jesus reminding me of who He is and how quickly I forget. There have been some really close calls in my own circle of family and friends and with me, myself, and I had the nerve to wonder where He was in all of it. There have been some horrific things in the news and it can make me wonder, in all of this mess of life that pulls and presses, sometimes to the breaking point. The breaking point of my own strength and understanding.

When will I learn that at this point is where I should live every, single day? When will I learn to stop charging into busy days and start changing my view of them by giving all the details to God?

Jesus is in the Father God and the Father God is in Jesus. The Scripture that got me this morning was: “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “ John 14:9. Jesus was talking to his disciples and preparing them for the time when He would be crucified and physically leave them. He needed them to know in their hearts and minds that all of the power of God was in Him and He was God in the flesh that came to live in their world and die for their sins. It was very important that they got that. That He and the Father were One. And that He would not leave them “alone” (16 -18)  but send His Holy Spirit.

As I read that verse, I kept hearing it his way, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Vickie?” Oh my, I had been looking for Him and He was there all along. This is how the Holy Spirit speaks to me through His Word. And I had been caught by the Word that would set me free. The only way to know God better is by reading His Word and listening to His Holy Spirit. I’ve known Jesus as my Savior since I was a little girl. A long time. But I needed to be reminded that I could trust Him. Even with the things I do not understand or want to believe can happen to the innocent here.

This can be hard to live by but, as believers in Christ, we are really not all here. Nope. Sounds kind of negative, but it isn’t, really. Scripture teaches us that we are the recipients of eternal life now and so much more of our lives are in heaven, with Christ.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set you mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

With the belief that Jesus is our Savior, we have all we need to live here joyfully. So why do we allow the here and now to defeat us? It is clearly a memory problem. A mind thing, possibly caused by a heart thing, but maybe not. Remember, we are to:

“…love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ‘This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30)

It is Him we are to love with all we are. Not our lives here. I didn’t think I loved Jesus any less, yet I neglected to renew my mind with the truth that He has all that concerns me, and this entire world, in His hands. He is working it all out for my good and His glory. So why the choking dark days when I think the unthinkable and walk with my head down?

I am not alone. The great patriarchs of the Bible struggled like me. All I need to do is go to the Psalms. In Psalm 28, David cries to God for deliverance from his enemies and I too have an enemy. After lamenting and seeking God for help, David says in verses 8 and 9:

“The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving refuge of his anointed. Save your people, and bless your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.”

This prayer is for me and for you. This same God is my strength and your strength also. And though our bodies are here right now on this planet, we are only here now, and for a very short time, to be a light for others, to point others to Him and this life that can be abundant when we choose to remember the truth. No wonder the enemy attacks. Say it with me:

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) (emphasis mine)

Wait a minute. Stop in your tracks. Take ever so long as it takes to renew your mind. To take those thoughts captive and speak the truth to yourself, lets say one more:

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31