Are we there yet?

 

 

Somewhere in time, every day, in every city, in every country, some child is asking a parent – are we there yet?  We are less captivated with the journey; instead the focus is on the destination. I’m so bad when I travel somewhere, I don’t like to stop for any reason. The destination is the goal and I don’t want to be sidetracked.  The same is true for events.  I know when I have a vacation planned, the days working to get to the vacation are a struggle, I want the vacation to come sooner.

The problem for many of us is a lack of patience.  We don’t want to wait, we want what we want and we want it know. 

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

God listed patience as a spiritual virtue because he knew that some humans, me for example, would struggle with this.  He wanted us to know that it’s important.  How can we show love, joy, peace, kindness when we are impatient?  

The minute we are born, we set out on the journey that God as designed for us from before the world began.  He knows the times we stray from the path he lay out.  He created another path to get us back on track.  He plans for us to learn and grow and love him more. God is very patient, never giving up on us and always giving us opportunities to learn more. Many times we are so busy just moving through life, we forget to enjoy the journey or appreciate what God is teaching us.

This week, I have been rushing through work. I have so much to do, but I want to take a week off, so I am inpatient for this week to end. God has a lesson for me this week and sometimes when God wants to tell me something, he has a song run through my mind.  I tend to perk up when a song catches my attention.

The song on my mind this week was about our journey to Heaven. As Christians, if we think about it, our journey ends in the ultimate destination – Heaven. It struck me as odd that this seems to be the one destination we aren’t in a hurry to arrive at even though it will be better than anything we can imagine.  If we are not in a hurry to reach heaven, then what else should we be in a hurry about? 

All my hurrying to get somewhere or do something many times has little to do whith my eternal journey. This song reminded me that I am a pilgrim passing through.  My journey here should be more about what I can bring into my eternal kingdom, than what I can leave in my earthly one. The point of my life’s journey is to discover in what ways I can demonstrate the goodness of God to those around me.  By doing this, when I arrive in heaven, I will come bearing gifts for the heavenly King.      

Steven Curtis Chapman - Long Way Home (Slideshow with Lyrics) from steven-curtis-chapman on GodTube.

Discouraged

 

 

Somewhere in time, January 12, 2010 a massive earthquake struck Haiti with catastrophic results.  Haiti was already an economically depressed country, so the homes were not built to codes common to homes in America.  The epicenter was Port Au Prince, Haiti’s capitol.  Three million people were affected by the earthquake, most left homeless, and a little over three hundred thousand dyeing as a result of it. 

I was recently out shopping and I found a book called “Unshaken” by Dan Woolley.  Dan is an employee of Compassion International.  He was in Haiti to take pictures and film the work done with Compassion’s Child Development Programs.  The hope was to encourage people to give to their efforts so they could reach out to more children.  Sounds heart wrenching to see people so poor, but it helps to see them getting aid and a chance to better their lives.  I don’t think Dan expected and eventful trip, but yet, the unexpected happened.

His Haitian drivers had just dropped him off at the Hotel Montana.  He was going to rest before heading out to dinner. He had just left the lobby and went towards the stairs. When he heard what sounded like an explosion and the world rocked.  The building came down around him.  Dan came to in total darkness, his head was bleeding and his leg badly injured.  He couldn’t see anything, but he could feel the warm sticky blood on his hand as he touched his head.  An aftershock struck and more debris rained down. Using his camera to get a small amount of illumination, he decided to head for the elevator by crawling and dragging his injured leg.  With the aftershocks rocking Haiti, the elevator may off some form or protection, the area he was in was very unstable. 

In the elevator he wondered if he would survive.  He wrote letters to his family, reminding his kids not to blame God for the tragedy and expressing how much he loved them.  There were other people trapped, not with him, but around him:  A person in the next elevator shaft and a group of five under debris in the lobby and another woman in another part of the lobby.  It helped having people around; they could talk, and encourage each other.  He was even able to lead the young man in the next elevator car to Christ.   It was a good way to pass the time, but they didn’t expect so much time to pass.

After about 48 hours after the earthquake, a team of rescuers were able to rescue the six trapped in the lobby and the rescuers promised to send help for Dan.  Hope, he had hope.  People knew he was there, people were coming.  Minutes drug by, then hours, but no one came.  He again began to wonder if he would make it out alive and he became discouraged.

Discouragement gets all of us at one time or another.  Discouragement is the lack of hope.   Reading this story, I really identified with his discouragement.  I’ve never been trapped in an elevator under six stories of rubble, but discouragement isn’t that picky.  It can strike you wherever you are.  When you feel stuck in a situation and see no way out, you face discouragement.  When you are trying so hard to get ahead and you only seem to fall farther behind, that discouraging.  Lasting discouragement leads to depression and that is much harder to battle. 

Today, I want to give you hope if you are feeling discouraged.  Life gives us time of discouragement, but God never leaves us.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Dan, at his lowest point, would feel the need to give praise to God.  Whether he lived or died, it was up to God and he was amazed at how much better he felt when he offered praise.  It raised his spirits and returned his hope.  It’s amazing that when we are able to get our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and concentrate on our God and Father, Jesus Christ, as least for the moment, our discouragement will be lifted.

Dan did make it out, after almost three days, 65 hours, trapped with no food or water, but God never left him or forsook him.

Haiti is still struggling to rebuild and compassion is still at work in the country helping to pull families out of poverty.  I have link to compassion if you would like to check it out.

www.compassion.com 

 

 

Audio Adrenaline - Kings and Queens (Exclusive Music Video Premiere) from audio-adrenaline on GodTube.

My Epitaph

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been thinking about epitaphs.  What do I want people to remember about me?  I’m not sick or even old enough to be facing death, but each of us face death every day.  We never know when our end will come.  What do we want people to remember about us?  What kind of legacy do we want to leave?  I know is sounds like a depressing subject, but not when you think about it.  Each of us wants to make a mark on the world, some of us in bigger ways than others. 

In Southern Arizona there is a town called tombstone.  It was a rough western town and the grave markers in Boot Hill are somewhat famous for be a little outlandish.

Here lies Lester Moore

Four slugs from a forty-four

No Lies

No More

That's a Boot Hill grave stone.

Another one I found humorous is in Florida.

I told you I was sick

Do we want our parting words to be funny, informative, or inspirational?  I think inspirational.  How do you summarize your most important beliefs and ideas into a few words?  Corrie Ten Boom was able to do that.  Her grave marker reads:

Jesus is Victor

This is my favorite one.  I want people to remember me for my faith in Christ.  I want them to remember that I wasn’t perfect, but I loved the Lord and I loved other people.  There is an old song that was popular when I was a teenager. Some of the words in the chorus are:  She had her father’s eyes.  Eyes that find the good in things, when good is not around.  Eyes that found the source of help, when help would not be found.  I want to take it a step further.  I want to see people as Jesus sees them.  Imagine the amount of compassion filling our lives if we saw people as Jesus does.  If we could love like Jesus does.  I hope I merit a memorial like that.  One that says she had the eyes of Jesus. 

1 Samuel 16:7B (NIV) “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

I can’t pass on riches, or processions. I can only pass along a legacy of faith, but in the long run, that’s worth so much more.

 

 

 

Brandon Health - Give Me Your Eyes from brandon-heath on GodTube.

Corrie Ten Boom

 

 

Somewhere in time, April 15^th 1892, Corrie Ten Boom was born in Holland.  Corrie grew and lived a simple life.  Her father was a watch maker and they lived in a small home above the shop. In the home she lived with her parents, one brother, two sisters and two Aunts.  She never married, she thought about it once, but the boy’s parents didn’t think Corrie was good enough for their son.  She didn’t need a husband to keep busy.  She taught classes and she enjoyed working with mentally challenged children.  She became the first woman to be a licensed watch maker in Holland.  This was long before women became a common fixture in the work place. 

Her idyllic life came crashing down when Germany invaded Holland.  After a week of fighting, Holland had surrendered.  At first, things seem to return to normal, but then, little by little the persecution of Jews started. At this point in her life there were only three people living in the house above the watch makers shop.  Corrie had just turned fifty,  Betsy was older and their father in his eighties.  She described it as two old spinsters and their father.  What could they do to stop the spread of violence against God’s people? 

They became a link on the underground chain that helped many Jews escape.  Even the underground was a little hesitant about using to middle aged single ladies, but they were persistent.  They spent two years defying the Nazi occupation by hiding Jews before they were caught.  

On February 28^th, 1944, the Ten Boom Family was arrested.  Her brother was visiting, so he was taken in the raid as well as her father, sister and nephew.  Hiding in the house at the time, were four Jews and two members of the Dutch resistance.  The family was arrested, but their special guests made it out to safety after 47 hours of hiding in a small space with little food or water. 

Many of us have heard about the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, but Corrie’s family would get to experience it first-hand.  Her father, brother, nephew and sister all died because of their imprisonment.  Most not making it out alive.  They were not young, or strong or particularly bold, but they were standing strong for what they knew to be true. 

In the dark prison, where seven hundred women a day died, Corrie felt she had a glimpse of hell.  Betsy’s faith seemed stronger. 

“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”  “God will give us the love to be able to forgive our enemies.”  These are quotes from Betsy, said while imprisoned. 

Forgiveness – if anyone had a reason to hate, Corrie did.  Four members of her family died in prison just for helping people.  She was beaten and starved.  She was held captive by people who had lost the sense of humanity.  Her family was betrayed by someone for money. They had their own Judas. 

Forgiveness – she chose to forgive.

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Forgiveness isn’t easy, it takes work and it’s a choice. 

After the war, Corrie traveled to over sixty countries talking about her experiences and the power of God to see her through her darkest times.  In addition to that, she made the choice to forgive her captors.

She was speaking at a church in Germany when she saw a former prison guard, one noted for his brutality.  She had forgiven him, but human nature kicked in and she wanted to hate. She wanted to hate him, but God reminded her to forgive.  She walked up to the man after the service, still struggling with the feelings of anger and bitterness, but when she took his hand and looked into his eyes, God allowed the overwhelming peace of forgiveness to flood her spirit and set her free. She was truly free.

The man who had betrayed her family was arrested after the war and sentenced to death for his crimes. Corrie wrote him a letter and told him that she forgave him because Christ forgave her. He wrote back, because of her letter, he had surrendered his life to Christ.

Her story helps me put forgiveness in perspective.  I get angry and frustrated, but I have never been beaten and imprisoned.  I really have nothing to forgive by comparison.   

There is a belief among Jewish people, that those who die on their birthday are doubly blessed by God.  Corrie died on her birthday, April 15^th, 1983.

 

I’m Forgiven

 

 

Somewhere in time, on April 21^st, 2012, Charles (Chuck) Colson died.  In the early 1970’s there was a political scandal in America.  The scandal was called Watergate and Chuck Colson was one of the key players.  I will admit that while I was alive when this was happening, I was a child, so I heard about it, but I didn’t totally understand it all.  I do know that Chuck Colson had to testify and there were several months of trials and I’m sure it was very stressful.  During this time, he became a Christian.

Many people in the press went after him more for making a profession of faith during this time than they did for the events he was accused of.  Many thought it was a ploy to get him out of some hot water.  Both they were wrong, it was the real deal.  Chuck Colson had found Christ.

I have found that God doesn’t cause bad things to happen to us, but he does use them.  The choices that Mr. Colson made and the friendships he kept were responsible for the trouble he was in, but God used this to open his eyes to his need for a Savior. 

In 1974, Chuck Colson entered a guilty plea in the Watergate investigation to the charge of obstruction of justice.  That same year he entered Maxwell Federal Prison in Alabama.  He was sentenced to one to three years for his crimes. 

Prison was an eye opening experience.  He became a Christian before going to prison and God was able to give him a compassion for his fellow inmates.  He gave him a burden to reach them and bring them hope.  It helped that he had been where they were, he understood and he cared. 

1 John 1:8-9 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

This compassion caused him to create Prison Fellowship.  He visited hundreds of prisons every year encouraging the prisoners and giving them the good news that with God all sins are forgiven.  It was possible to start over with a clean slate. 

All of us have an experience, something we have gone through. Something God can use to show other people the way to him.  Sometimes it’s better not to be ashamed of your scars, it’s better to tell the story of why the wounds don’t hurt anymore and the one who brought healing and salvation.

 

Sanctus Real - Forgiven [Official Music Video] from sanctus-real on GodTube.

Viva Cristo Rey

 

 

Somewhere in time, in the year 1926, Mexico had a civil war.  I recently heard about this and I was shocked.  I have read so many history books and never heard of a Mexican Civil war that was centered on the issues of religious freedom.  The war was called “The Cristero War”.  When Mexico gained its independence from Spain and created their constitution, they had written in laws restricting Christian practices.  The laws weren’t enforced right away, so they went largely unnoticed.  The President of Mexico, Plutarco Elias Calles, felt the power of the Catholic Church was a threat so he chose to enforce the laws.

People did what you would expect when they saw their freedoms being taken away, they tried a peaceful solution.  They signed petitions and sent them to the government.  Surely if the government understood the thoughts of the people, they would repeal the repressive laws.  Unfortunately, their attempts failed. They tried a few more things, but every effort they made was met with a deaf ear and no changes. 

While this was happening, churches were closing.   Foreign born ministers were deported.  Priests caught in public in their clerical clothing, where arrested.   Then things went from bad to worse and Priests were killed in the churches where they served and loved and cared for the people. Finally the people felt they had no choice, they had to resist to the point of civil war.

Their war cry was – Viva Crist Rey – which means, long live Christ the King. 

I heard about this when I heard about a movie being made called, “For Greater Glory.”  I watched the movie and it’s a very compelling story. It is an adult movie because it depicts a war, but it's still a story worth watching.  I was amazed at the courage and strength shown by the Christians in Mexico. They had the courage to stand up for their faith, for their church and for their God. 

I believe that now is the time for Christians to be courageous.  To stand up for what we believe in.  We can’t let our freedoms be chipped away, or before we know it we will have no freedoms at all. I know that I live in America and I'm fortunate to be in one of the freest countries in the world, but even here, freedom is being challenged.

In New Orleans, they have a law that restricts street preachers from preaching after dark. This chips away at freedom.  It seems to go against our basic constitutional rights of the freedom of speech and religion.

1 Corinthians 16:13 - 14 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”

I know it says - be men of courage – I believe that means men and women of courage.  Sometime we ladies have to be strong as well.  

I know it feels that it’s hard to stand against opposition and still show love.  In the matter of the Cristero War, how can an armed conflict show love?  Defending the defenseless and being a voice for those that can’t speak is love.  I can’t speak for everyone in every country, but here in America we are not to a point of armed conflict, but we still need to make sure our voice is heard. Defending our right to worship as we please and to speak up for the unborn and to cherish our young and old.  Not because we hate, but because we love.     

 

FOR GREATER GLORY - Standing Up For Your Faith from gracehillmedia on GodTube.

Love

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I had a conversation with my mother.  She reminded me that when I was eleven years old she made me memorize the 13^th chapter of 1^st Corinthians.  I did and my prize for memorizing the chapter was a pair of red, white and blue boots.  Not just any boots, they were knee high and they laced all the way up the front.  I wanted them because I thought they were cool.  Even at a young age, I was still concerned with fashion and I had my own sense of style.  My mother was positive those were the ugliest boots around.  Maybe they were, but I liked them.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV) “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

I think my mother had ulterior motives.  I used to fight with my older brother.  Maybe you can relate, I had the prefect older brother, but he used to tease me.  My mother would be in the other room and he would tease and what she heard was the blow up. She would hear the sound of me yelling at my brother or hitting him with the nearest object.  I think she thought I needed to learn a little bit more about love.  The funny part is that I loved my brother and I still do, but I would agree I didn’t show love all the time. Love is hard to show perfectly.   

Love is patient – that is one I struggle with all the time.  Can I truly love when I am never truly patient?  Love is kind – I love to tease as much as the next person, but is all my teasing kind? Love is not proud – another hard one.  I’m proud of my family, proud of my faith and proud of my country. Where is love in that?  Love is not rude – I try not to be, but when someone is rude to me, my first reaction is to be rude back.  Love is not self-seeking – giving without expecting anything in return.  Love is not easily angered and keeps no records of wrong – I am slow to anger, but slow to forgive, so I am only half right.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  As humans, we only demonstrate some of what real love is and we only demonstrate it some of the time.

God has perfect love.  He showed perfect love when he bore our sins on the cross.  Our only hope of loving perfectly is to allow God to love through us.  That’s my prayer.  Since I know that I am hopelessly flawed, I want to remove myself from the equation and allow God to love through me.   

 

Brandon Heath - Your Love Acoustic Performance: The Leaving Eden Sessions from brandon-heath on GodTube.