Intense love

If you are a parent, do you ever wonder if other parents love their children the way you love yours? I do! The love I feel for my child is so deep and profound that sometimes I wonder if other parents can love their children this same way. It just feels that no one else can love their children like I love mine own, that there can be no stronger love than the one I feel. But then, as I look at other parents I notice that they also love their children with all that they are. There is that same intensity and care that I also feel.  We love our children with our own lives!

I have to ask then, if we, imperfect human beings, love our children this way, why do we think that our Heavenly Father, who by definition is love, doesn't love us? Why do we think that He's out there to get us? 

If you are feeling that God doesn't love you, stop that thinking right now. God loves you more than parents can love their own children and there is absolutely nothing you can do, and nothing can happen, that will separate you from His love. You are His child, His most treasured possession. Hold on to that truth with all that you are!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

"nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:30 

Holding my hand

One of the things I really enjoy is going for a walk. It doesn't matter where I live I like to explore my surroundings. In Alaska we had wonderful places to explore and hike, and now back in the city there are beautiful new places to discover. The fresh mornings or the cool of the late afternoons are my favorite times to go for a walk. 

Yesterday I was going for a walk with my almost-as-tall-as-me son when we came upon a little ledge on the side walk. He quickly jumped up and walked its full length before having to jump down again. I told him that when he was a little boy he loved walking on every ledge, short fence, or climb every rock we found along the way, but back then he needed me to hold his hand so he wouldn't fall if he tripped. He smiled.

As we continued our walk I kept thinking about those days long by. I remembered holding his little hand so he could climb up some rocks or ledges and as long as he allowed me to hold on to him he would be ok and not fall. He might trip, but I was holding on tight so he would never fall and get hurt. It wasn't that he was holding on to my hand, but that I was holding on to his. If he was holding my hand and then tripped, he would naturally let go, fall, and get hurt, but if he allowed me to hold his hand, even if he tripped and let go, I had him and he would be just fine.

This made me think of my relationship with my Savior. So often I have tripped as I try to walk through the many obstacles that this life puts in front of me or that my adventurous spirit encourages me to climb onto, but as long as I allow God to hold on to me I'm ok. And you know, the more I learn about God, the more I realize that in this relationship He does pretty much all of the work. It's not that I hold on to His hand so I won't fall. It's that I allow Him to hold on to mine. If I ever feel like I've got this and think He can let go of me, then a nice fall and scrape of the knee is sure to happen.

God promised to never leave us. He is walking right beside us, His hand ready to hold ours. All we need to do is to let Him hold our hand. It's all a matter of choice. Always is. 

Why don't you extend your hand to God and tell Him that you would like Him to hold your hand as you two go for a walk through life. If you do this, even if you trip, your Heavenly Father will raise you up so you won't fall and get hurt.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02409/Man-and-child-hold_2409462b.jpg

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:5

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."

Revelation 3:20

Letting God

     I was so excited about listening to this pastor preach. I had heard him a few months earlier and was looking forward to hear him speak again. I was inspired by his testimony and life experience and couldn't wait to hear it again!

     As I sat on my seat quietly listening, I noticed that the person behind me wasn't as thrilled about the message that morning. He kept commenting to his friends about the speaker and the choice of topic and was speaking loud enough that I, and everyone around, could hear his comments very well. The criticism just kept on going and I was starting to feel frustrated. I turned to a friend sitting next to me and told her that I was about to turn around and tell this fellow that he was in serious need of Jesus. But just as I told her that God spoke to me. Basically God asked me if He could handle the situation instead of me
     
     I reflected on that thought and told God that He was right - as He always is - and asked if He would bless the person behind me and help me to be able to focus on the sermon no matter what. 

      I noticed that the comments behind me suddenly stopped and then I heard the man say to his friends: "This is interesting." A few minutes later he said, " I'm starting to feel guilty. This is really good." And no more comments after that. Only silence. The sound of the Holy Spirit working in that man's heart and in mine.

    I was amazed by God's power and wisdom. Imagine if I had turned around and said something to that man. I would've, most likely, made things much worse. I would probably have made an enemy and even if not, I would've prevented that man and his friends from receiving a blessing from the God of Heaven. I'm pretty sure that if I had said something, he and I and everyone around us would've not been able to focus on the message being preached anymore. And even if me saying something had a positive result, the glory would've gone to me and not to God to whom glory always belongs!

     Psalm 50:15 says "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." I wish, hope, and pray that I will never forget this experience and this promise from God. I pray that God will always give me wisdom to know when it's time to be quiet and let Him take care of things. It is always better to let Him handle our difficult situations. He has infinite wisdom and can reach the hearts of the people, something I, without Him, cannot do. 

     I want to shout out to the world about this Amazing God I serve. What love He has for me, for that man sitting behind me, and the people around us. And what wisdom. Absolutely incredible!

    Remember that if there's something difficult going on in your life, give it to God. Let Him handle it. He'll do a much better job than you. He has the power to take care of your problems and has the wisdom and love to do it in a way that will transform hearts and lives. To Him goes ALL the glory!

"Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."

Psalm 50:15

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

James 1:5

Cool for a day!

It's amazing the things we get if we ask! When we moved from Alaska we had to sell a lot of things including my car, so when we got to Texas we purchased another one. The dealer told us to bring it back after the snow melted so they could detail it. After another week or so I headed to the dealership to get the car all nice and clean. We were told they would provide us with another car to use while they worked on ours and we started to wonder what car that would be. Fascinated by cars, my son said he wanted a Dodge Charger, but ever the realistic I explained that they probably wouldn't let us use a Charger and would let us use something smaller. 

When we got to the dealership I jokingly said that we wanted a Dodge Charger. One of the dealers laughed with (at?) me while another one looked outside to the car lot. Shortly after they brought us the keys, which we found out we really didn't need because of how cool the car really is, to a new Dodge Charger! I couldn't believe it! Let's just say we took the long way home, so we could drive that car a little more. For the rest of the day I was cool! I was cool for a day. And why? Because I asked. I would've missed out on driving a nice car like that if I had kept my mouth shut.

Jesus says that if we ask He'll give whatever that is to us, yet so often we don't ask or we realistically explain how He can't give us something grand and will probably give us something smaller. We are so easy to limit God's power and put Him in a little box. Reasoning apart, Jesus says ask and it will be given to you. That should be all we need. How He answers is up to Him and His wisdom. All I need to do is ask!

Is there something you need or want? Talk to God and ask Him. You might be surprised at His answer. He loves to give us and bless us with things. And I'm not talking of just material things. Although He enjoys showering us with material blessings, He wants to give us a lot more than that because life is a lot more than food, clothing, shelter or stuff. Maybe He'll give you freedom from a bad habit, or victory over temptation or a bad temper. Maybe He'll heal your body, your mind, or your heart. He might even give you a new heart. Now with a new heart I believe you'll end up being cool... for life! Whatever it is, don't hold back or reason it away. Just ask!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Matthew 7:7,8

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17

Treasure hunt

Treasure hunts are something we love in our household. Birthdays, Christmas, and just because are great reasons for a treasure hunt. In fact today, my son hid my cell phone and strongly encouraged me to go on a treasure hunt to find it. It had clues and all! Treasure hunts are just too much fun. We get to read clues which lead us to more clues, which takes us to places in search of some treasure. And then we find it,  the treasure: a new bike, a new book, new golf clubs, a surprise birthday party, or even my much needed at the time cell phone! How fun!

Recently my son and I were reading the Bible and he wanted to, once again, read the genealogies of Jesus found in Matthew and Luke. He loves reading all those very different names, trying to pronounce them all correctly. We have read those Bible texts so many times that I think he's memorized most of the names. As I listened to him reading the genealogies again, I thought of the treasure hunt. The Bible is the ultimate treasure hunt! It is filled with amazing clues. Some are really easy to understand, others require some thinking and even some growing, but the clues are all there making sure we get to the treasure. And it is quite the treasure: Jesus! He is the best gift, the best end of the treasure hunt. 

I want to encourage you to go on this treasure hunt. Grab your Bible and enjoy learning and finding the most wonderful treasure of all!!!

http://www.turnbacktogod.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Jesus-Good-Shepherd-02.jpg

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 

2 Corinthians 4:7

"When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"

Matthew 13:46

When God made a way through the blizzard.

Earlier this week I was reading the story of when Joshua and the Israelites went to fight against the Medianites. God had told Joshua to go and that He would be with them. As the day went by, Joshua noticed he needed more daylight to completely defeat the enemy, so he told the sun and the moon to stay where they were until the Israelite army had achieved victory. And guess what! The sun and the moon did not move for almost another day and the Israelites won the battle.

A few months ago God made it clear that our time in Alaska was coming to an end and that He had a new assignment for us. After a lot of prayer for guidance and wisdom, knowing that to follow God is always the best, we packed our belongings, loaded it all in a trailer, and began our trip from Alaska to Texas. 

This was at the end of November. Temperatures had already been very cold. An ice storm had created a thick heavy layer of ice on top of our trailer. That was only the beginning of our adventure. After a few set backs that delayed the beginning of our journey by a couple of days, but that allowed the ice to melt off the top of the trailer making it a lot lighter, we began our journey. I think every day we had some type of delay. Flat tires, short dark days, snow, an unsure puppy, mountains, among other things made for quite an interesting trip.

We had been on the road for several days when we finally reached Alberta . Tired, but thankful to have traveled the Alaska Hwy with just a few inconveniences, we stopped for the night. There was a big winter storm headed our way and we didn't know how the next day would be. In the morning we struggled with the idea of whether to continue the trip or stay put for the day while a huge blizzard took over that part of Canada. After praying for guidance we decided to continue on our journey. 

The blizzard was so bad that many times we couldn't see the front of the truck, but God was in control and early on He sent a semi-truck that stayed in front of us the whole time, guiding us through several hours of our trip. For the most part we could see through the heavy snow a little bit of the top of its trailer. Because we followed it almost all the way, we were able to stay on the road and avoid a big accident we saw on the passing lane. We like to think it was an angel God sent to help us during the most difficult part of our journey. 

When we stopped to eat in the afternoon we felt that it was wise to stay in that town and not press on, so we found a hotel and stopped earlier than usual. The next morning as we continued the trip, we saw lots of cars and semis off the road. I wonder if we would've been one of them had we not listened to God prompting us to stop earlier for the night.

Thinking back on the story of Joshua, I see he was faced with quite the dilemma. How could he continue the battle if it was getting dark and he couldn't see anymore? Not only could the enemy escape, but it would be also difficult for the Israelite soldiers to defend themselves. Yet Joshua knew it was God's battle, so Joshua was confident that God was going to provide a way for the Israelite army to win.

To follow God does not mean we won't have any problems, face any battles, or go through any storms, but it does mean that He will provide a way for us to follow Him all the way and overcome. For Joshua God stopped the whole rotation of the earth and moon, for us in the middle of a blizzard He provided a semi truck to safely guide us, for you it will be something else.

I don't fully understand why the God of the universe is so interested in us little human beings, but the fact is that He is. He loves us, He enjoys spending time with us and getting to know us. He also wants the best for us and as long as we are following Him, He will always provide a way to help us through our problems. If you are going through a difficult time in your life, hang on and see the deliverance of the Lord...your Lord!

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you."

II Chronicles 20:17

"I have loved you with an everlasting love" 

Jeremiah 31:3

Cold love

The first few words of her email opened up a fountain of tears in my eyes. Her marriage was over! After 15 years together, she was done. The insults and daily criticisms had done permanent damage and she couldn't take it any longer. Her spirit was broken and her self confidence gone. She felt like she had no value to the man who was supposed to love her more than anything. If that was love, then she didn't want it anymore. 

I remember our conversations before. Her dreams, her plans. She knew God had a beautiful future for her, but the path had somehow, taken a different direction, and now here she was, about to close a painful chapter in her life. 

I cried because I loved this family. I cried because I thought that maybe I could've done something. I cried because her email gave no glimpse of hope for that marriage. It was over.

This is not what God intended for marriage. His plan for families was, and is, beautiful. But we humans tend to ruin God's plans, and then we hurt. The devil has unleashed a vicious attack on families, an attack with the intent to kill. And the more misery and pain is caused in the process, the better! 50% of marriages, which begin with all kinds of promises of love for life, end in divorce. 50%!

Selfishness is a big problem. We are too focused on ourselves. We want to be comfortable, we want our will to be done. We don't want to get off the couch to save our family. It's never our fault. We believe we know what is right and we make sure others comply, no matter what it takes.

For my friend were the words. From the mouth of the man who promised to love her, came words of criticism and insults. He managed to hurt her with his words almost every day. She was messy, didn't make good decisions, didn't cook well, was not a good mother, ate too much sugar, didn't drink enough water, and the list goes on. If something happened that caused negative effects, it was her fault. She walked on eggshells, doing everything to be perfect so he wouldn't hurt her, but after so many years of this, my friend started believing that she was of no value. So now she was gathering whatever courage she had left to live the rest of her life alone, which was much better than in the company of her husband.

Words are not the only thing that is destroying families. Sometimes is the silence. We spend too much time on the computer or in front of the TV, robbing precious time from our loved ones. Then there's the ongoing competition with the Joneses, taking families to the prison of debt and even poverty. Some spouses are workaholics, spending most of their time outside of the home and leaving the children to grow pretty much on their own. And there's bad temper, stress, poor healthy habits, and so many other things that makes us give to our loved ones the worst of us. 

I think in the end, the reason for it all, is that love has grown cold among so many. You see, love never hurts. Love protects, trusts, is patient, and is kind. As I read that beautiful chapter of love in I Corinthians 13, I'm drawn to ask God to fill my heart with this love. I want to love everyone, but I especially want to show the people whom I share my life with everyday, that they are worthy of my respect, patience, my kindness, forgiveness, trust, and protection. They deserve the best of me.

How is your family life? Are you giving your spouse and your children the best of you? What is the effect of the words that come out of your mouth? Do they build up or tear down? How are you showing kindness and forgiveness? Do you greet your spouse and your children with a smile at the end of the day? Do you send them off on their day with a big hug and heart felt "I love you"? How are you doing at spending time with your children just talking or playing what they want to play? And how are you doing at disconnecting from all the electronic devices to connect fully with your spouse?

God has a beautiful plan for families, and the only way the plan will succeed is if love is present. And for love to be present we need God, for God is love! Ask God to help you always be filled with love for Him and for the family He gave you. I think it's beautiful that I Corinthians 13 states in the end that the greatest of all is love! There's a lot of wisdom in that. A happy family is totally worth it!

http://www.fantom-xp.com/wallpapers/15/Family_Wild_Geese.jpg

"Love is patient, love is kind."

I Corinthians 13:4

"God is love."

I John 4:16