A few Words to encourage you

I keep trying to write this blog and I got nothin'. So I'm simply going to share some favorite Scriptures to encourage you. I hope you will READ THESE ALOUD:

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless."
(Psalm 84:11)

"Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'"   (John 6:68-69)

"Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever."
(Psalm 111:3-5)

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."    (2 Peter 1:3)

We have so much to be thankful for!

- Kathryn

Are You Listening?

Last week I was reading the account of Jesus' transfiguration in Matthew 17.  Jesus had taken Peter, James and John up on a mountain by themselves and right before their eyes, Jesus' face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as light, and then Moses and Elijah appeared too and started talking to Jesus.

I wonder what that was like for Peter, James and John...  remember...  they were human...  mere men...  and all of a sudden Jesus takes on an AWESOME appearance and then two men, two of their great heroes of the Old Testament, who have been dead for a REALLY long time, show up and talk to Jesus.  That had to blow their minds...  How do you even begin to wrap your brain around something like that?  I can't begin to imagine the emotions that were coursing their minds and hearts at the time...  talk about a literal mountain top experience.

And what Peter does next is so typical Peter (and so typical me too!!)...  He starts making a plan...  "Lord, it is good that we are here.  If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah." Luke, in Chapter 9 of his gospel, adds that Peter didn't even know what he was saying.

Peter didn't take the time to process what was happening...  He almost missed the significance of God pulling back the veil of Jesus' true identity because he wanted to DO something instead of just BEING with Jesus and allowing the moment to transform him (Peter).

What follows next makes me chuckle a little.  From Matthew 17:5...  "He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; LISTEN to Him."  (emphasis mine)...  Peter was still babbling on about his plan when God speaks from a cloud...  Peter's on a mountain top with Jesus, Moses and Elijah and HE'S doing the talking!  It took the voice of God from a cloud to get him to be quiet!    And then Peter, James and John fell to their faces and were terrified...  aka...  Peter was silent!

But how often do I behave like Peter...  maybe it's something that grabs hold of my emotions...  maybe it's a mountain top experience of Jesus at a retreat...  or on a mission trip...  or some injustice that tears at my heart...  but instead of stopping and listening to Jesus and seeking what He would have me do...  or not do...  I start formulating a plan and then asking for His approval.  How often does God have to stop me in my tracks to get me to listen to His Son...  my ONE true King...  the only ONE worth following!

And following Him means I get in line BEHIND Him...  not out in front trying to lead Him...  It means I wait and listen for what He wants me to do, not what SEEMS right to me.

Next time you start to formulate some plan about what you're going to do for Jesus, step back for a minute (or an hour... or a month) and seek Him and listen to Him.  His plan is always perfect...  He will never lead you wrong!

Blessings,
Sharla

Not always what you expect.....

So, many times in our lives, we live in a way that is predictable.  We seek advice, put plans in place and prepare in order that we can know what to expect.  While that is very prudent in many ways, it can also be disheartening when we become convinced that the predicted outcome is a certainty.

This happened over and over again when people engaged with Jesus:  

• The rich young ruler thought he had all it took to follow Jesus – yet when Jesus asked him to sell all he owned to follow him, his expectations were crushed. 
• When the disciples asked who is the greatest, Jesus taught “for the one who is least among all of you, this in the one who is great.”  This was a complete reversal of how they defined greatness.
• John tells Jesus “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does now follow along with us.”  Jesus replied, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.”

Sometimes this happens in our own lives:

• We think we have what it takes and Christ shows us we are lacking.
• We think we understand greatness, success, happiness, security, love and Jesus shows us that our definitions are flawed.
• We think others aren’t ministering correctly because they are not ‘with us’ and then Jesus tells us not to hinder the work of others.

I know there are areas in my life in which I think I am well prepared and ‘have what it takes’ and then I am taught that I am lacking.  I think I understand parts of life and find that my definitions are flawed.  I believe that others are not ‘doing it right’ and Jesus reminds me that it is not up to me to judge.

Sometimes it’s not what you expect, but what you take away from the situation that is the greatest lesson.  My husband’s grandfather had a saying:  “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and take what comes.”  When we live life following Christ, I think this is a good rule of thumb.

What Matters Most

I love that God creates people with different strengths that glorify Him and help people.  I was blessed recently by one sister in Christ, Melanie Schroepfer.

Melanie came over to help me organize our family memorabilia: pictures, letters, awards, baby clothes, cards, and so on. It was a mess! And it's been that way for two decades. In between babies, moving and mental illness, I just never got around to organizing it. Which is weird since I'm super organized. My kids are 17 and almost 19 and have no baby books. Uuugh. After years of accumulation, I was overwhelmed. Each time I started to organize our memorabilia, I stopped.

Then Melanie arrived. She gave me some terrific ideas about sorting. But the ONE thing I remember most is her challenge: "Ask yourself when you look at something, 'How much do I value this?'" What do I cherish and treasure? Because you can't keep it all or you'd never find it. 

Melanie's question is the principle I'm using to sort. For example, I tossed the press releases and newspaper articles I wrote as a journalist. I don't need to keep them to remember how much I enjoyed my career. But I'm holding onto the high school essay I wrote about my father's love of flowers. 

I dreaded this project for years, but it has been so sweet to find things like the cassette tape of my interview of my Granny in 1995. Just hearing her voice again! I have poured through my children's drawings, pictures of dear friends, and family heirlooms. I'm not a keeper. I'm not particularly sentimental. But I feel like I am digging up old treasure. And I wasn't expecting the JOY of rediscovering these things.

I would not be experiencing that joy had God not prompted Melanie Schroepfer to help. It was clearly God ordained. I e-mailed to see if we could meet for lunch while she is in between jobs as a business analyst. But Melanie remembered my earlier plea for prayer about this memorabilia project and came over to get me going. She is exactly the person I needed and God knew that.

I am left thinking: How can I help someone in a similar way? Am I open to the Holy Spirit's leading in this? Lord, use me.

My other thought is simply an echo of Melanie's challenge to me: What do you value? What matters most? Whatever it is, ladies, get to it!



- Kathryn Truden

a whole lot.

{via evannicoledesigns on etsy}

i love this quote. because what it basically says is "i need jesus." i need a whole lot of jesus, and that's it. personally a little bit of coffee goes a long way as well, but i mean, jesus is God, so he can always provide coffee, right? {right.}

of course, i started writing this post yesterday, and today was one of those days when i really needed a whole LOT of jesus. as in, i wasn't going to make it through the day without a whole lot of jesus. it's kind of like that whole "don't pray for patience unless you're ready to get stuck in a lot of situations where you need a lot of patience" thing. 

don't talk about needing a whole lot of jesus unless you're prepared for a reminder that you need a whole lot of jesus.

today i wanted to change keane's name to oscar the grouch because oh.my.goodness. my normally sweet child could only be described as sour. he got upset about everything, and he's started throwing things and pitching a fit when he gets upset. i know that will go on for a long time, but ugh. just ugh.

yes, jesus had to show up big time for me. but that's the thing - he did show up. he is faithful. far too often i try to do everything myself. i put too much stock in what i can do, and wait until the very last second to lean on him. it's like he's telling me what to do to handle the situation {any situation} properly, and i put my hands over my ears and "LA LA LA, I'M NOT LISTENING!" i, in effect, tell the God of the universe, "don't worry, i've got this." 

they say if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans. he holds the whole world in his hands, and sometimes i try to take my life into my own. seems kind of silly, doesn't it?

i'm so thankful that jesus gave all of himself for me, and that he's willing to give me a whole lot of himself on a daily basis, if i'm only willing to take him up on the offer.

xo,

katie

Are You Confident Of Who You Are?

While reading in Matthew 4 about the temptation of Jesus, a word jumped out at me that, in the past, I had given very little attention to...  It was the word 'if.'

In Matthew 4:3 & 6, Satan says to Jesus, "IF you are the Son of God..."  If?  What does he mean 'if'?  Of course Satan knew that Jesus was the Son of God...  But Jesus had been fasting alone in the desert for 40 days and night, He was hungry and since Jesus was fully human, I think it's safe to assume He was physically weak and tired.  Was the enemy hoping that in Jesus' weakness he could cast doubt on His identity as the Son of God and trip Him up?

Thankfully Jesus had no doubts at all about His identity and purpose and the enemy wasn't able to trip Him up and cause Him to sin.  But things haven't changed much in over 2000 years and the enemy is still trying to cast doubt on who we are in Christ and either cause us to sin or steal the abundant life from us.  And sadly, I don't always stand as firmly as Jesus did.  (One clarification...  Satan is not omnipresent so I don't think he's personally working on each of us.  But Ephesians 6:12 teaches us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, cosmic powers and the spiritual forces of evil.  So clearly he has some help!)

But here's the thing, we don't have to fall prey to his age old, same old tactics...  We can spend time in God's word and learn to distinguish the destroying lies of the enemy from the life giving truths of Jesus.  Here's just a few...

Is shame and guilt eating at your soul?  Romans 8:1...  In Christ there is NO condemnation!!  It is not Jesus condemning you, you are forgiven!

Do you feel hopelessly enslaved to a certain sin?  Romans 8:2...  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  In Christ, you are free!  You can know victory!

Do you struggle with feeling inadequate or not enough?  Ephesians 2:10...  You are God's workmanship... Do you really believe that God's work is inadequate or somehow lacking?  Colossians 2:10...  In Christ, you are complete!

Scripture is FULL of truths that counteract the lies of the enemy!  Stop listening to the life stealing whispers of the enemy and learn the voice of your Abba Father, through His Word!

Do you have a favorite verse that helps you shush the lies of the enemy?  If so, I would love for you to share it!  You never know, it might just be the word someone else needs to know!

In Him,
Sharla

‘Love Like Christ’ -- Really?!?

I just finished a book entitled “The Reason I Jump:  The Inner Voice of a Thirteen Year Old Boy with Autism” by Naoki Higshida.  Naoki learned to use a keyboard and although he cannot communicate by conventional means (language, sign language) he is able to eloquently describe what it is like to have autism.  He writes about his inability to respond to questions, problems with compulsive behaviors, memory that is non-sequential, emotions that wash over you like a tsunami.  It is a brilliantly written book, all from a person a majority of people would consider unequivocally disabled.

In one passage he writes:  “The hardest ordeal for us is the idea that we are causing grief for other people.  We can put up with our own hardships okay, but the thought that our lives are the source of other people’s unhappiness, that’s plain unbearable.”  It broke my heart to know that this child was more concerned about that ‘trouble’ he was causing others than his own suffering. 

This made me stop and think – how many people suffer in pain and we don’t even realize it.  So many people struggle with disability, poverty, insecurity, physical pain, mental pain, emotional trama – the list goes on and on.  Yet, when I encounter someone who may be rude, slow or frustrating, I am all too quick to judge or get angry.

For this reason Christ admonishes us in John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  OK, so how much of a rat-head do I feel like?  Jesus Christ (the kindest, most caring, gracious and loving person that ever lived) loves me (a mostly selfish, judgmental, shallow, sinful person).  If I am to love others as Christ loved me, well, it’s a game changer.  That other person does not have to be pleasant or kind to me, but it is up to me to love them, be gracious to them and show them mercy.

Kinda hard in a messed up world – but the one thing that will help fix the mess.