Word of the Week: JOY

Joy. Pure joy!

She ran, skipped, and jumped along the path through the ‘jungle’.

The spark of joy revealed in her eyes at the sight of the flower-strewn path was absolutely priceless.

I could feel her excitement as clearly as I could see it on her face. If the essence of pure joy were to ever be bottled, I think it would contain energy dispersed by two year old children at play!

The third candle of advent is JOY.

I’ve anticipated this holiday trip that we are currently on for many months. I counted down the weeks and days with excitement. Each moment of the 27 hours that we spent journeying to Australia from Belize was worth every second. Our time of traveling brought us to a place of hugs, laughter, smiles, story times, climbing towers, pushing swings, dressing stuffed animals, and baking cookies.

The trip was long, the wait was hard, but the joy we felt upon arrival erased the aches and pains of all the miles that separate us from family.

Many years ago, before our children were born, Tom’s grandmother Sharp baked Christmas cookies for us.

Tom’s mother picked up the tradition for our kids, and now it’s my turn with our son’s children.

Our children are 30 and 27. Our youngest was home with us for Christmas for the last time in 2012. We have only put up a tree once in the last five years. It’s been hard to find joy in an empty nest at Christmas.

Here, with our granddaughter, the joy is infectious. My heart swells with anticipation as we awaken each morning to discover what songs and stories she will enlighten us with for the day. I relax as my heart rises above the emotional hardships and the years of longing to grandparent in real life.

Joy creeps in as I marvel at the wonder in her eyes and cherish the hope born from her laughter.

I understand why a candle of JOY is needed as we countdown the days until the celebration of Christ's birth. Light cannot be overcome by darkness and the light of His joy is powerful enough to penetrate the human spirit.

I am grateful for my encounter with joy as my husband and I wait with our son and his family for the birth of their second child!

May God also fill your eyes with wonder and light up every corner of your life with His joy as you await the celebration of our King!

Word of the Week: LOVE

Love: A complex word comprised of four letters.

The second week of Advent is about LOVE.

Today, December 13, 2017, my husband and I celebrate 36 years of marriage.

As we spend our day traveling I can rest by his side and enjoy our time away together. The past few weeks were a chaotic whirlwind for us. I’d been rehearsing for our Belizean Christmas concert, preparing for speaking engagements, working in the counseling office, and promoting the concert on radio and tv. Between early morning commitments and late night practices I noticed it was getting hard to spend time soaking in God’s loving presence.

As the day of the concert drew near I felt like I was running on empty. With tear stained eyes I reached for my keys to head out the door once again. I stopped to cry for a moment on Tom’s shoulder. My body was wracked with pain as I stood there telling him how tired I was. He comforted me with soothing, understanding, and encouraging words. And then he sent me out the door with the emotional strength to do the next thing on my long list of to-do’s.

I’m grateful for those occasions when I can see, feel, and hear the loving voice of God speaking through my caring husband.

I’m grateful that though my husband's love in action I have seen God's unfailing love each and every day.

I’m grateful that Christ came to earth in human form to reveal to us what real love is.

I’m grateful for this Advent season, for this time of solitude, and for the depth of prayer that Jesus continually offers on our behalf before the Father.

It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of ‘doing’ that we can miss out on ‘being’.

Slow down, lean in, and listen for His loving voice. That’s what I’m doing today...won’t you join me?! I wrote this song during a time of leaning in closely to listen to His voice.

Watch, sing along, and share it with someone who needs to take time out to seek God and worship Him!

Word of the Week: HOPE

Tom and I are eagerly awaiting time with our family in Australia.

It's been two years since we've seen our son, daughter in love, and granddaughter.

This year our hopeful hearts await the birth of our second grandchild, creating priceless memories with our granddaughter, and treasuring moments with Spencer and Meesha.

I wrote my first Christmas song two years ago. And the very first line is, "Hope was born in a manger".

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. In many churches around the world the candle of Hope would have been lit today.

Is there any hope in your heart this year?

If so, then where are you placing your hope?

Eve had hope when the serpent told her that she could be like God. Her misplaced hope led to expulsion from the Garden of Eden. We must be careful about where we place our hope. Misplaced hope can have eternal consequences.

I have hopes and dreams for my granddaughter and the grandbaby that is on the way but the true Hope of the world was born over 2000 years ago.

Jesus Christ is our Hope! And our hope in Him will never disappoint.

May this be a season for the God of Hope to fill each one of us with His presence.

May this be a season of hope in our hearts, our homes, and our communities.

May this be a season of celebrating the birth of the God of all Hope!

You can listen to that first Christmas song here!

Peace is a gift..

Let there be peace on earth.

Such a simple request.

The search for peace can lead people from country to country, to God or away from Him, from one partner to the next.

And yet, peace is a gift. Not the peace the world gives but true peace. (John 14:27). The night Hope was born Love took on flesh and brought Joy into the world to bring us Peace.

Peace comes from Christ. 

The power of stillness is found deep within the soul. Looking around causes confusion which leads us away from peace. Those concerns that cause anxiety and stress need to be turned over to Christ. Wholeheartedly and completely. No hanging on in hopes of trying to work it out yourself. Present your requests to God with thanksgiving and a peace that transcends all understanding is promised to you. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Let go of striving and experience His peace this Christmas!

Are you feeling the joy?

The night Hope was born Love took on flesh and brought Joy into the world!

Are you feeling the joy? 

After a dark night of the soul the dawn of joy is such a relief.  My husband and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary this week. We've had our share of ups and downs over the years. Two stillbirths, one miscarriage, two live births, moving from the US to Russia, and then Russia to Belize and having all of our belongings stolen in the last move....what a journey it has been.

December 13th is our wedding anniversary. It is also the date that our first son was stillborn back in 1985 on our 4th anniversary. Sweet and bitter mingled over the years. Remembering the date brings us face to face with the realities of life. Part of that reality means facing death, facing heartache, facing fears. hoping for the best and accepting whatever comes our way.

Getting married at age 18 was a challenge. Armed with high school diplomas, optimism, and our love for one another we set out to conquer the world. Looking back on that rainy day in Wichita, Kansas I can see how young and naive we were.

It is only by God's grace that we have gotten this far.

As Christmas draws closer may you find reasons to rejoice. The wise men needed His star shining brightly in the heavens to point the way toward Him. Today just look into His word. Listen out for His voice if you're facing a dark night. His joy will come in the morning! I don't say that as a cliche. I say it from years of experience. Each storm we have faced has been followed by a rainbow. And each night is followed by daybreak. Although the night may be long, lift up your head and look to Him, and He will make your joy complete!

When It Hurts to Hope

What do you do when it hurts too much to hope? When you feel tired, broken, and empty?

The psalmist in Psalm 42 has an answer for a soul that is bent over by the weight of the world…praise.

Praise?

Seriously?

How do you give praise when you’re ready to declare emotional, physical, and spiritual bankruptcy? As a worship leader who is at this very moment battling with fatigue in all aspects of life I’m wondering how do I lead others to a place I’m struggling to reach?

Last year I wrote my first Christmas song and the opening line is, “Hope was born in a manger”. Hope is not something we can manufacture on our own. Hope was birthed through God’s choice to sacrifice His Son to redeem a broken world. Our true hope is found in the arms of the God of Hope.

When you’re too tired to pray, too broken to believe it will get better, and too empty to hold on to hope, don’t give up on God, simply acknowledge where you are in this moment. In this moment I cannot pretend to have it all together. I am clinging to words of hope I’ve read in His word. I know that God is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). I acknowledge my brokenness. I know that God desires to give me rest from the burdens I have been carrying (Matthew 11:28). I acknowledge my need for rest. I know that God is already aware of how much I need Him. So like the psalmist I acknowledge my emptiness. (Psalm 42:1-3)

Many years ago I heard that if your body doesn’t get enough to drink it can send mixed signals to the brain. You might think you’re hungry when you’re actually thirsty. So it is in times of brokenness. When we are overwhelmed with life we think we need to shut out the world, including God. We have a desperate longing for hope but we look for it in things that don’t completely satisfy the true need. Meditating on the negative day after day and night after night…eating tears for food as the psalmist confessed in Psalm 42:3 is draining. We need a way to break out of the cycle of despair.  If you’re hungry for Hope take a drink of Living Water. Call out to God, spend time in His word, push through what you think you need, and partake of what you really need.

As I climb out of the pit I’ve found myself in, I’m using these five tips to praise my way back to Him:

1. Listen to praise music
2. Make a list of God’s characteristics
3. Read scriptures that relate to hope
4. Journal
5. Make a gratitude list

I’m not advocating that you ignore your feelings. I work as a counselor and regularly encourage people to feel their feelings and work through their issues. I’m acknowledging that for myself, the way out of brokenness is to spend time in His presence, the way out of tiredness is to find rest in Him, and the way out of emptiness is to fill up on Him. He lives within the praises of His people. Praise Him for Who He is and thank Him for what He has done in the past and ask Him for restoration of the soul.  I know that the God of Hope hears our prayers. And that knowledge is fanning the flame of hope in my heart right now!

when they saw the Star...

Not everyone meets Christmas with joy.

Back in 1985 we had one of the most difficult Christmas seasons ever. Our son, Cameron, was stillborn just two weeks before Christmas. It was a devastating loss after having suffered our first stillbirth  just 10 months earlier.

It's not easy to celebrate with a heavy heart. I know from personal experience that weeping may remain for a night but joy truly does come in the morning. We just don't always know how long the night will last.

The night that the Magi saw His star standing over where the Child was located they rejoiced wholeheartedly. They had seen His star in the east at the beginning of their journey and chose to search for Him. When they left their home they determined in advance that they were going to worship Him as King. They had brought gifts with them to offer Him. They traveled a great distance. Perhaps they faced obstacles along the way. Seeing the star confirmed that they had finally made it to the right place. After they celebrated they went inside and fell before the Child in worship. Following their incredible rejoicing they worshiped.

If we notice the sequence of events first came the hardship of a long journey before they could rejoice...before they could worship...before they could give Him their gifts. Traveling through dark nights of the soul may take a lot out of us and it may be a difficult and long process. But, when we get through, when we overcome, the best response is one of rejoicing. May you find the answers you are searching for in Him. May you find comfort. May you find peace. May you find Hope. And may this Christmas be one of rejoicing with exceedingly great joy. Celebrate Him. Worship Him. Offer your gifts and talents to Him. Christ has come. O come, let us, adore Him!

Let Every Heart

Has Christ been invited to your Christmas celebration?

As Christmas approaches it's time to focus, reflect, and ponder the true reason for this holiday.

When I think about Mary and Joseph being able to hold Jesus in their arms, I am amazed.

Amazed that God allowed His son to come to earth to be our Savior.  Amazed that although the heavens couldn't contain Him, that He was able to walk this earth.  He chose to be a Living Sacrifice for you and for me. And I am in awe of Him and of who He really is and of what He has done for us.

The heavens can't contain Him
Yet Mary held Him in her arms
Pondering the mystery in her heart.
He chose to come earth
In weakness and in strength
A living Sacrifice for you and me.

The heavens couldn't hold Him
Yet, He lives within our hearts
Covering the whole earth with His love.
Without His hope as anchor
I'd be lost on stormy seas.
His precious gift of life would not be mine.

A gift born in a manger
A Bright and Morning Star
Joy came to the world that silent night
Enthroned in heavenly peace
Mercy wrapped in newborn clothes
Glory, Hallelujah, pure Joy is mine!
© 2014

Make room for Him. Seek His face, wait on His touch, hope on His name...may He open your heart to His joy. May He fill you, renew you, and restore you day after day. Invite Him in and welcome Him with open arms, open hearts, and open homes. Welcome the reason for the season. Whether He be newborn or reborn in your heart… make room for Him as Lord!

We are Christmas!!!

Several years ago on a train in Russia, three older ladies were in the compartments along the side of the wall near us.  My husband Tom helped them with getting their mattresses down from the storage racks so they could sleep through the night on the long ride.

One of the women told the other two to say 'zhank you, sir' and they each followed her example.

I spoke with them in Russian at first. Then she took the opportunity to practice her English... telling me it had been 20 years since she studied the language in University.

My favorite line from her was when she was witnessing to me. She told me that she and her companions were sisters and then clarified how they were sisters... meaning in Christ.

She proudly told me "We are Christmas!!!" then she thought for a second and asked if that was right. I told her the word was Christian. She gave me some literature and told me about the conference they had attended over the weekend.

I truly admired her boldness. She was intentional in her desire to share what she had experienced over the weekend. And she was brave enough to do it in a second language! What an encouragement and model of humility. Thinking back on that day now that advent has begun...I love how the words came out of her mouth. We should be Christmas. Not just one day a year. But, all year round. People should see us as warm, giving, inviting, and willing to share our experiences, strength, and hope with love and grace whenever and wherever God leads us.

Are you Christmas?