Glory Renewed

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.   

Chosen To Give

Weeks before the day, Lilly, age two going-on-three, talked about her Birthday Party. What the cake would be like. Oh, and there would be presents. She loves surprises and just could not wait to open her gifts. That is why what happened was so amazing.

As she picked up each new package, and her mother helped her discover who it was from, she opened it and squealed with glee as she took it to the person who brought it for her. The kids, the adults, they all just smiled as Lilly brought them, a stick pony, a doll, or a new outfit. She thought those gifts were hers to hand out once she opened them.

Her joy was spreading joy and let me tell you it was happiness all around that room. Could we all just use a little or a lot more of this?

This little one had no idea that she was giving away a possession that would later give her hours of enjoyment. No wonder Jesus tells us “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Have you ever wondered why you were chosen to be who you are?

Why you were chosen to be born even? Let alone, why were you chosen to be the child of your parents, born into the country of your birth, the generation of your family? Someone made a choice and you exist. You are a gift that was chosen to keep on giving.

Before you think these are foolish thoughts, allow me to say this: You are not here by accident. You were chosen to exist by a Creator God that knew you in your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:14-16) God chose to make you and re-make you into the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29) You are a gift, chosen, to keep on giving.

I love these words from Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth in Portrait of a Woman Used by God, “I believe there is a special sense in which God created us women to be bearers and nurturers of life. Whether or not He grants us physical children. He wants to use us to carry the life and light of Jesus into the world – to be spiritual reproducers, bringing forth His life in the lives of others.”

Someone made a choice and you exist. You are a gift that was chosen to keep on giving. “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit…” John 15:16a

Giving life is giving the best gift of all. That is why Jesus is everything to believers, He is life to us. He died to give us life everlasting, a gift that cost us nothing but cost Him everything. We are the chosen to give a kind word, a sacrifice of our time, our energy, our patience.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

Jesus is a friend of saints and sinners. His love is for all and we are called to love and be a friend to all. To take His love and pass it on and on and on.

“Friendship is a gift from God… a friend loves at all times.” This little shelf plaque sits to the right of my desk to remind me of a gift. A friendship. A gift that gives. The words inscribed were taken from Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Most of the time we only see the first portion of this verse because the second half sounds kind of negative. But really, it is as positive as can be. My study Bible explains it like this, “a true friend has unquenchable love that is not diminished by adversity.” A true friend is a precious gift.

Like little Lilly, let’s accept this gift, and joyfully give it to those in our lives that need a gift, a present, in their present situations?

Judging God?

I was so angry when I found out. Someone dear to me lost a child. A little baby, full of promise and it just wasn’t fair. I wish I could have been that shining example of trusting God with this hard thing, but I wasn’t. I just couldn’t understand why He let this happen. This happened nearly two decades ago, but I remember it just like it was yesterday.

I had been praying for this woman. I was so certain that everything that was possible was being done to make sure the outcome would be her baby safely delivered into her arms. But it didn’t happen that way. This sweet soul went into the arms of God. He was delivered, but with a still heart into the arms of broken hearts that day.

This past summer, as I was memorizing Hebrews 11, saying it over and over and meditating on it, so many lessons for my heart were born. Since it is considered “The Hall of Faith” chapter, God pressed into my mind teaching and examples I hope I never forget.

 “Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11

Faith is not in our genes. It cannot be passed down from one generation to another in that manner. We aren’t Christians because our parents are. It doesn’t seep into our lives because our best friends are full of faith or all our teachers were. We become Christians by personally making a decision to follow Jesus Christ. We must believe in Him for ourselves, place our faith in Him.

I’ve heard it described this way. A chair promises to hold you when you sit down but you’ll never really believe in it until you actually sit down in it. Put all your weight in the promise it makes. Sarah sat down.

Sarah had a judgement call to make. Either God was faithful or He was not. Every time we doubt, dwell in our anxieties or worry, we judge God unfaithful. How could we do that? I can do it though, every single time the “awful” happens. Because I am so forgetful, and need reminding that He is faithful, that He does indeed know what’s needed before the asking.  

 “…For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8)

But if He knows we have need of certain things, does that mean He gives them to us every time we ask? Even with faith, believing? I think not. Not because He cannot. Because “…with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) And to follow Jesus into this truth we have to pray His example: “Father, all things are possible for You; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:36)

He loves us too much to give us things that are not in His perfect will. Even if it hurts, we have to realize that He hurts with us, He grieves with us, because He is Emmanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) He is always the answer to our prayers. When we are not satisfied with the way things turn out, and we become angry or bitter, could we be telling God that His being with us is not enough?

How many times have things not worked out the way I prayed, yet a better outcome surfaced? More times than I can count.

A few years later, that precious woman in my opening paragraph welcomed a child into her family through adoption. I had lost touch with her until we bumped into each other at SAMS. She caught me up on her children. It was awesome! Such joy after such sorrow. God was and is and always will be faithful. 

What I am becoming is always more important than what I can accomplish. If I am becoming more and more a woman of faith, I am being successful in the only thing that really matters. Because to have more faith is to know and trust God with more of me and my life. All of it.

Sarah, herself, is an example of this. I cannot imagine how many times she had to have given up on having a baby. In her impatience, she gave her own handmaid to her husband so that she could have a child through her. That didn’t work out so well did it? (Read Genesis 16) Every month the disappointment. Every year the emptiness of her womb. All the way through menopause even. Can you imagine? it may have happened in her old age, but she finally did it, the Scripture says it happened, “she judged Him faithful… ”

Why do we pray and then get impatient for the answer? Could it be that we expect God to do things on our time frame when He is far too wise to do that? 

Even if it hurts we have to realize that He hurts with us, He grieves with us, because He is Emmanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

We tell Him we are praying in faith and He already knows that. We tell Him we need it now and He says we have Him now, and that is always enough.

Enough to cause us to experience peace while we are waiting.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27)

Enough to cause us to experience the reward of keeping the faith.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Could it be we are seeking the “thing” more than we are seeking Him? I believe that the more we seek Him, He gently impresses on our hearts the desires that match His. Our requests may change as we seek Him because He changes us instead of our circumstances. Only a God that knows us better than we know ourselves is worthy of that kind of faith. And as we study His Word, seek Him in prayer and obey His leading are we transformed into the women of faith who can do all things. How powerful is that?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

The verse that comes before this one is crucial to note in order to not take such a statement out of context, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I have learned to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)

Whether we get the answers we want or we get the worst news we could imagine, we can “do” it because of His strength. Because our own certainly won’t be enough. We can never forget this, because when we do, we judge God unfaithful. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

If I _______________, then I lack self-control

You can fill in the blank. I could make a long list. I was feeling pretty convicted at the Revive 2017 Conference when Mary Kassian gave her talk. It only lasted 20 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to me, a woman who is trying to hit the mark, but my arrow is falling far short.

A talk earlier that day from Susan Hunt, a dynamo for the cause of Christ, got the ball rolling that God was pitching for a strike against all my idols. I had a lot of pins to knock down that weekend. She was telling me that my whole reason for being here on this planet was to “Glorify God and enjoy Him.” My desire of trying to do everything “right” was clashing with this idea.

I looked in the mirror this morning and didn’t like what I saw. I had too much salt yesterday and too little rest last night and the puffy eyes were the evidence. This is what I see “here” but Susan shared:

 2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

I want His glory to be showcased in my life, (who cares what the package looks like, I’ll be trading it in one day.) Susan spoke the truth “We become what we behold.”

I like this mirror image better. The one that reflects the glory of the Lord. How is this even possible?

This brings the two speakers together. Self-control is biblical in the sense that we do have a freewill. We may know what to do, but the follow-through is up to us most times. So how and where do we get the “want to” for follow-through? Susan says it comes from the gospel. “We become what we behold.” Says this wise woman.

The dictionary definition of the word “behold” is “to observe, look at, see.” It is intentional. Imagine our loving Lord, cupping our faces gently with His strong hands and causing us to look at Him for the self-control we need. Beholding causes focus. From reading our Bibles and meditating on Scripture, God speaks to our hearts and ignites a passion to be more than we are, but for Him. To do more than we think possible, but for Him and His glory. Not because we are strong, but because we are weak and weak is a good thing.

Did I mention that Susan Hunt is 77 years old? She knows what she is talking about because this “little old lady” exuded more strength than you can imagine. She lives out the beauty of the gospel and tells it like it is ladies. I wrote in my notes, “Jesus is the story – not us – don’t worry about our story.” When we pray for grace to finish strong, we must finish weak because His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) She tells us that the sooner we recognize our weakness, the sooner God’s strength can show up. (2 Corinthians 13:4)

I needed a new perspective on self-control. I needed to go to God with my weakness and choose to allow His strength to do those things I procrastinate away. That way He gets the glory for anything I am accomplishing and becoming. And this is so right, because if I boast of being anything apart from His grace I am prideful and a liar. Every single breath is a gift from Him.

It is my prayer that this post encourages you to exercise self-control, but not just so you can accomplish “things.” But so you will acknowledge your weaknesses, give them to Jesus, and become the woman of God that shines His glory and likes what she sees in the mirror that matters.

Welcome to what’s coming up! These are events I would love to share with you and invite you to.

What: Women’s Bible Study — A time in the Word of God, just for Ladies who are thirsty for more of an understanding of scripture and want to share thoughts and questions with others and get to know Him better.

When: Tuesday Evenings at 6:30 pm, October through December, 2017

Where: Bethel Lighthouse Church Gym, (County Road 126, Marietta, OH, close to Lane’s Farm Market)

What: Women’s Walking Group

When: Thursday Evenings at 6:30 pm, October through December, 2017

Where: Bethel Lighthouse Church, (County Road 126, Marietta, OH, close to Lane’s Farm Market)

What: Harvest Festival, Hayrides (weather permitting)

When: October 28, Starts at 5 pm with Food at 6 pm,  Fellowship and Fun till?

Where: Bethel Lighthouse Church, (County Road 126, Marietta, OH, close to Lane’s Farm Market)

I Missed Grandparents Day…

Writing this as a kind of apology, Jesus revealing to me that I’ve been using my little kids too much. That even though we learn so very much from them, I have learned so many crucial life lessons from grown-ups too. Taking some space to share a bit of what I have learned from seasoned Christian women on this journey.

My grandmothers. On my father’s side, I have learned so much from my grandmother, Edna Grace Ludwig, posthumously. She was ill most of my formative years, so I did not have much time with her, but she certainly made up for it when I had to go through her estate after the passing of my dear Aunt Mary.

My greatest treasure is the notes she left from an exhaustive Bible Study she worked on during her later years. I have her handwritten answers to the wise instructor’s questions. No computer to write with and store her wisdom. Just pen and paper. “Spirit” duplicated worksheets, with corrections and additions from the wise hands of her discipler. My Grandma Ludwig sought God. She cherished His Word and I hope she sees that her faithfulness is a legacy that I am so extremely grateful for.

Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man (woman) who walks not in the counsel of the ungoldly, nor stands in the paths of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his (her) delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law doth he (she) meditate day and night.” (God’s Words are for all of us.)

On my mother’s side, I have learned so much from my grandmother, Clara Mae McElfresh. This “grandma” influenced me much before she went to be with the Lord. She was a caregiver. She wanted so much to be a registered nurse, yet she was able to provide nursing care that more than made up for the fact that she did not have a “degree.” I saw how she made a difference to those who suffered and I wanted to be able to do the same thing. However, she first and foremost loved Jesus. He rescued her and she never stopped praising and serving Him in the new life He gave her after she was saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

These women had struggles.

Grandma Ludwig, lost a baby shortly after he was born. She raised a son with challenging health problems; polio and a seizure disorder. She operated a small general store where she extended credit to many families who were never able to pay. I am sure she talked with Jesus about all of these heartaches and more. Those are just the profound highlights of what had to be the darkest nights. Add those to the inconveniences of getting your water from the well and doing laundry on a wash board!

Grandma McElfresh had what I have understood to be a difficult upbringing.  Yet Jesus found her and turned things around. One of my most poignant memories is watching her care for her dying husband, crying out to God to ease his suffering. I had the privilege of staying day and night with her during those first few days of grieving for her loss and they made an impact on my life that will always stay with me. Such a tear-filled gift. She also lost two sons from this earth before the Lord took her to Heaven. Again, just some highlights of her darkest nights for she also lived in a world without the many conveniences we have today.

And I could go on and on about the wonderful example my own mother, Donna Ludwig, has been of a grandma that goes above and beyond to make sure her grandchildren know they are loved and precious and that Jesus is her Lord. She is still going strong, even now that she is a great-great grandma!

Some of you may have your own stories of how much of a difference a grandmother, or older-wiser woman has had on your life. Remember them and think of how we can have an impact on those women who are coming after us.

I am finishing up a study focused on the directions God gives to older and younger women, based on Titus 2. We older women are to teach younger women to follow Jesus in all the many directions their lives take them. This is not the same world we inherited from our grandmothers. There are so many distractions from the true, holy life God requires to experience His blessings. Younger women need our guidance and better yet, our support and prayers. The example of our faithfulness will make a difference, even if that difference is realized many miles down the road.

I am going to a conference this weekend in Indianapolis, Revive ’17. Women will gather together from many places in this country and will be watching via livestream from all over the world. We will be praying and worshiping together and learning together the importance of “passing the baton” to those who will be coming after us. Please join us at this address, https://buff.ly/2y7gWhl , or go to reviveourhearts.com and see what this is all about.

Teach what accords with sound doctrine.

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.

They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

…so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

TITUS 2:1-5, 10