Monday, May 17, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: Priorities

Have you ever had a day that just dragged on and on? A day where you thought for sure it had to be at least 2:00 pm, but when you checked the clock and realized it was only 10:00 am, you felt like crying. I have. But to be honest, I have more days that just seem to fly by. Days where, if I just had a couple more hours to work on my to-do list, I just might get caught up. The truth is though, if I was given those extra couple of hours, I probably wouldn’t have the energy to do more work anyway 

The question then becomes, “Is what I’m spending my day doing, making a difference in the light of eternity, or is it just busywork?” I can find many worthwhile tasks to fill my day, but are they duties that the Lord wants me to be doing, or are they the things that I want to do?

Many years ago, I heard a statement that so spoke to me, I jotted it down and it has been beside my bed ever since. The statement was, “What you prioritize is what you will eventually worship”. If you asked me what or whom I worship, my immediate answer would of course be, I worship God. I’m surely not like those people that I read about in the Old Testament that just kept returning to their idols to worship. How could they be so stupid to bow down to their man-made statues? Isaiah 2:8 sums up what they were doing, “Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.” It is obvious that they had lost their way; they were more concerned as to what they were doing and what they had achieved, instead of what God had done and what He wanted to accomplish within and through them.

I’m so glad I’m not like them...or am I? When my life is spiraling out of control and I feel overwhelmed, could it be that I feel that way because my priorities have gotten out of whack? Could it be that my agenda has become the idol that I’m worshipping and I have left God out of the picture?

As we near the summer months our schedules can become even more hectic as it fills up with ballgames, barbeques and other outdoor activities. I can see this year being even more crazy, because we are all so anxious for life to return to “normal” from Covid. None of the activities I listed are bad, but we need to be intentional to make sure they don’t become our priority. What message are we sending our children when we make the decision that going to the lake or attending the ballgame on Sunday is more important than worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ? What message are our friends receiving from us when they hear us say that we don’t have to go to church on Sunday, because we choose to worship God as we are out in nature; it’s just not necessary to go into a church to give praise to our God.

I pray that your summer will be filled with all those activities that the warm weather allows you to experience. However, I also pray that you won’t forget Who should be the center of your attention as you go through each day. Allow God to lead, to guide and to prioritize your day. If you do that, you will be able to look back on the summer months, knowing that what you accomplished DID make a difference in the light of eternity. I just can’t think of a better way to spend your days!

“You must worship no other gods, for the LORD,
whose very name is Jealous,
is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.”

Exodus 34:14 (NLT)

Don’t forget, if you would like to join me in my study of the book of James, you can find my YouTube channel, Image Seeker, at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0szlDSgNBtFuzzNLBWzwMA. I posted another teaching video this morning, “God’s Power in Us!”. Check it out today!

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Monday, May 10, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: In An Instant

It’s one of those calls on my mental “list”. I think everyone has a “list” …it just might look different than mine. It’s a call I didn’t want to receive…but because life is life…the call came anyway. This particular call on my “list” was hearing that a loved one had been hurt. I received one of those dreaded calls this past week.

The phone rang and I was told that my 93-year-old mother-in-law had just fallen, and they were confident that at the very least, she had broken her ankle. In an instant…life changed. My husband and I jumped in the car and headed for the hospital so we could meet the ambulance that was carrying our precious mom.

After a long day in the ER, it was determined that thankfully, nothing else was broken besides her very, misplaced ankle. She was admitted and surgery was performed the next day to put things back together.

Yes, in an instant…life changed. Any plans that mom had would now have to be sidelined…and any plans we had would have to be changed or re-formatted, because in that instant…a new priority took the center stage. It wasn’t what any of us wanted or had planned for, but regardless, life would now take on a “new normal”.

Life isn’t always fun, is it? Every day isn’t always sunshine and rainbows…there are always a few stormy days thrown in to make things interesting. But I’m guessing it’s those rainy days that impact my life much more than the blue-skyed ones. On the clear days, I don’t need to show that I trust God’s plan for my life or the life of a loved one…because I can usually handle those kinds of days on my own. But when the dark clouds either come on the horizon slowly or are instantly overhead…that’s when it soon becomes evident whether my focus and faith are securely in Him or locked-in on myself.

Even though I know all of that, if I’m willing to be “real” with you, I have to admit that this past week has been hard. Really hard. My mother-in-law has been a mom to me for 40 years, and to see her suffer physically, mentally and emotionally has been awful. I have struggled and questioned God as to why in the world this had to happen to her, especially since she is currently in the middle of cancer treatments. None of this makes any sense to me and I have been angry, frustrated, exhausted and tears have escaped my eyes more than once.

I am still working through my thoughts and emotions and know that for now…I just need to trust God’s wisdom and God’s plan. I know He is big enough to handle Mom in the palm of His hand and will give her what she needs for each day. I also know He is big enough to handle me while I continue to work on keeping my focus on Him and accepting what will bring Him the most glory as we proceed on this new journey.

I don’t know what you are facing today. Your journey may be much more difficult than ours and you may also be struggling with seeing the reason for God’s plan. Let me encourage you to share with Him your anger, frustrations and tears. He is big enough to handle them, while He carries you securely in the palm of His hand and you never know when, in an instant, He will reveal to you why His plan is best. Until He does…I’ll be praying that His peace will comfort you and fill you to the brim and overflowing. We are all on this journey together and what a privilege it is to lift each other up to God’s throne…because as we pray to Him, He always hears us…in an instant!

“He comforts us in all our troubles

so that we can comfort others.

When they are troubled,

we will be able to give them

the same comfort God has given us.”

2 Corinthians 1:4

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Monday, May 3, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: A New Beginning

I so enjoyed our drive to church yesterday morning. We live 20 miles from where we worship and most of our drive is in the country, so there are currently many signs of spring to refresh my soul. How awesome it is to see the brown, drab grass coming alive with beautiful shades of green. The winter wheat that was planted last fall is now pushing its way through the soil. And the best sight to see is what I don’t see…there are no traces of snow 

As I took all of this in during our drive, the words that kept coming to my mind were, “new beginnings”. Winter can feel so long, and it is easy for me to feel like it is never going to end; that the cloudy cold days will always be here and that I will always dread stepping outside, knowing my teeth will be chattering for many miles down the road.

Then, it happens. I have a morning like yesterday when I realize what has been dormant is alive once again and I feel like everything has been given a chance for a new beginning. There is suddenly hope that the sun will shine, the grass will grow, the trees will bud and the temperatures will slowly increase and I will no longer “fear” stepping outside.

The day our Savior rose from the grave, gave all of us a new beginning that never goes away. At that moment, everything changed. Even though we weren’t even born yet, our sins went to the cross with our Lord three days prior and He willingly died with our transgressions on His shoulders. If He had stayed there, it would have been even worse than a winter that never goes away. Our hope, our chance for a new beginning would have been buried with Him, but instead He conquered death, coming alive to give us an ever-lasting hope and a continual opportunity for new beginnings.

Every day gives us that opportunity for a new beginning. No matter what yesterday brought us, today is a new day. No matter what wrong choices we have made in the past, we have the choice to grasp onto a new beginning. Everything you and I have done that isn’t pleasing to the Lord has already been paid for with His blood. He is just waiting for us to ask for forgiveness and then be willing to take a step into our new beginning.

Where are you today? Is your spirit feeling dormant and lifeless? Do you feel as if there isn’t any hope? Look up into the face of your risen King and accept His gift of a new beginning. He has already proven that sin and death cannot overpower Him, so if He already did that, we need to remember that He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19

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Monday, April 26, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: Restoration

I rarely get much “notice” from the Lord as to what I am to write about each week. It is usually at least Saturday until I have an inkling, and sometimes I get to Sunday afternoon and still not have a clue. To be honest, that sometimes gives me a panicky feeling that maybe He’s been talking, but I haven’t been listening.

Sometimes my “inspiration” comes from something I hear on TV…or from a conversation I’ve had the previous week…or something that I am reading or studying…or sometimes from the music to which I am listening. This past week, the Lord started to direct me as I watched a video on YouTube, based on the song “Restore” by Chris August. The words to the song are:

Nobody's growing old together, we've made it easy just to quit

Love has become a negative percentage, why do we bother to commit

We've got a long list of excuses, ways we try to justify

Well, I propose to you the truth is, marriage does not have to die.

CHORUS: I know you're feeling like it’s falling apart

and it can't go on anymore

But God is a God who knows how to heal so

just give it up to the Lord And He will restore.

He said with this ring I promise, and with I do she said forever

But right now if they're being honest they don't know if they'll stay together

Let's fast forward to the future after struggling on their own

They finally figured out they needed Jesus in the middle

Now I'm watching God rebuild their home.

The enemy tries to come and divide Trying to get us to give up the fight

But darkness will always lose out to light'

Cause we've got the power of Christ on our side

I see you growing old together I pray I find a love like yours

So if you're feeling like it’s falling apart and it can't go on anymore

God is a God who knows how to heal so just give it up to the Lord.

And He will restore

Like it was before

You may have strayed off course

But He will restore.

Restoration. I’ve always been amazed at people who can enter a dilapidated, falling down house and see the potential. They can already see in their mind what the house CAN look like with some love and some elbow grease. Will it be a lot of work? Yes, it will. But they know it will be worth it in the end when they can see and enjoy the final product.

I am SO thankful that I serve a God who is in the restoration business. He can look at a marriage that is falling apart, that is headed for divorce court and see what it CAN be with forgiveness, love and some elbow grease. Will it be a lot of work? Yes, it will. But God never gives up because He knows it will be worth it in the end when the marriage and family is restored and serving Him together.

I can’t help but think that God laid this subject on my heart to share today because someone reading this is thinking of walking away. They are toying with the idea that their marriage is just too far gone and there isn’t any hope. Satan is telling them that life would be so much easier, and the grass would be so much greener without their spouse, without all the obligations that seem to get in the way of their happiness.

I want to urge you today to give your marriage to the Lord and allow Him to restore it. He can take the crumbling pieces and put them together to be even better than you can even imagine. Stop struggling on your own and put Jesus in the middle of your marriage and allow Him to make something beautiful out of the ashes. I guarantee you that HE IS ABLE…..you just have to be willing.

I highly recommend watching this video with this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb9_7b6-T6g

“In his kindness God called you to share in his

eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus.

So after you have suffered a little while, he

will restore, support, and strengthen you,

and he will place you on a firm foundation.”

I Peter 5:10 (NLT)

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Monday, April 19, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: I Wonder...

I was thinking recently about the olden days when we didn’t have cell phones. We would set the answering machine when we left home (that is, if we remembered to) and would check it when we returned. In the meantime, no one could contact us unless they somehow tracked us down. People just understood that they would have to wait for us to call them back once we listened to their message.

I remember when my husband first said that he thought we should have a cell phone. Since we owned a mobile catering service, he felt it would be a huge asset to have a phone in case he or one of our employees needed help while they were on the road. I was dead set against it. While I agreed with his logic, all I could envision was being interrupted when we weren’t at home. Our home phone rang often since our business line also rang in our house and the last thing I wanted was to have to listen to more ringing when we were gone.

I eventually gave in and we purchased our first cell phone. It was huge and the reception wasn’t the best, but we had finally entered the mobile world. I soon realized what an asset it was to those in our business and it wasn’t long before we had quite a few cell phones on our plan. And yes, the day finally arrived when I had my very own mobile device.

Fast forward now quite a few years later…and I feel lost if I don’t have my cell phone with me. I’m so used to carrying it that when I do forget it at home, I’m always wondering if someone is trying to call or text me and waiting for my answer. If I’m honest, I know I am way too dependent on that mobile device and I need to work hard on loosening my grip on it.

This graphic I found recently really made me think and I started asking myself all of these “what if’s”. I have a feeling I would be much more “plugged-in” to what Christ is trying to teach me…if I did each of these that are listed. As I was mulling this over, I was also thinking about how often I check my phone to make sure the battery life will get me through the day…but it’s easy to forget that my true Power Source, God, never needs to be charged and can never be misplaced or left behind. He is always available…never “out of area” and never even needs upgraded to the latest model! I can always be plugged in to His power seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Every day…every hour…He is willing to communicate with me and if I treated my Bible like I do my cell phone....He could probably communicate with me even more. I’ll never get a busy signal or have to leave a message. Just think…the Creator of the universe wants to be in continual conversation with me…and you!

I wonder what would happen this week if every time I reached for my phone, I would stop and breathe a prayer of thankfulness to God for His power that is available to me. I wonder what would happen if I carried my Bible with me everywhere, just like I do my phone, and made sure and checked it throughout the day to see what He wants to tell me. I wonder if it would help me keep my focus on Him when life seems to be swirling around me. If nothing else, maybe it would help remind me that He is always the constant in my life…the One who never changes and is always available to recharge me…instead of me needing to recharge Him. And maybe, just maybe, it would help me be much more intent on keeping the lines of communication open with Him, instead of relying so heavily on the small “talk box” in my pocket.

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.”

Psalm 119:105

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Monday, April 12, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: My Dash

I don’t know if it is because I had a birthday last month or if it is because I am now spending time again at the cancer center as my mother-in-law has treatments, but I’ve been thinking about my dash lately. No, my dash has nothing to do with running or a seasoning in my kitchen cupboard. It has to do with the tiny dash that will someday come between my birthdate and the date I meet my Jesus face to face.

Some of you may think that this is rather morbid or depressing, but I happen to think it is a good thing to spend some time thinking about what we want our dash to represent. That tiny mark will someday represent everything we did in our lifetime; everything we stood for and everything for which we will be remembered.

Sometimes I think it is easier to think about what I don’t want it to represent. I have no interest in others looking back on my life and saying:

“She acquired so much wealth”

“She had more ‘toys’ than her neighbors”

“She always kept her house immaculate”

“She always got everything done on her list each day…”

None of those things will amount to a hill of beans when I take my last breath. None of those things will leave a legacy on this earth that will impact the eternity of those who come behind me. But I am finding that it is so easy to fall into the trap of having each day consumed with those very things for which I don’t want to be remembered.

To make sure my dash stands for what is truly important, I think it is crucial then that I am intentional to make sure each day on this earth is lived for my Jesus. My eyes need to be kept on Him. My ears need to be listening for His voice to direct my path. My voice needs to be filled with words that will direct others to Him instead of away from Him. And, my heart needs to be filled with His love for each and every soul that comes across my path.

I would like nothing more than to come to the end of my life and have others say just one thing about my dash,

“She lived for her Jesus”

I know though, for that to happen, I need to make choices and decisions today that will show for Whom I am living. It won’t always be easy and I know I will stumble along the way. But I also know that if my eyes are kept on my Jesus, He promises to give me the strength, courage and wisdom I will need to make my dash worth living.

“He gives power to the weak

and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31

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Monday, April 5, 2021

Monday Morning Memo: Passionate and Persistent

I’m guessing many of you will agree with me that we are living in a world that often seems unhinged. It seems like no matter where we turn…something is happening that makes us shake our head and it is so easy to become overwhelmed and feel like there isn’t any hope. Isn’t that an encouraging thought to start your week?

But…there is always hope! Why? How? Because we serve the One who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords…and NOTHING we are facing is catching Him off guard. Now, while I am confident that there are things that grieve Him and break His heart, I don’t believe there is anything that has Him wringing His hands…has Him stumped…or has Him surprised. Now, hopefully, you are beginning to feel a little better 

So, what can we do? Well, I think there are many things we can do…but I believe the first and foremost thing we are being called to do is pray. Pray like we’ve never prayed before. Pray like our life depends on it (and oftentimes it does!). Not just throwing a prayer up…telling God what He needs to do and then going on with our life just expecting Him to work…pray with every part of our being.

I think it comes down to this question, “How badly do we want to see God work?” If we really want to see Him work in amazing and miraculous ways…we need to be committed to spending time in fervent prayer. We need to ask ourselves if our prayers are passionate and persistent or are they sporadic – because I’m sorry - sporadic prayers just aren’t going to cut it if we really want to see God work in a mighty way. We need to pray until we get an answer from God to our prayer and we need to realize the answer we get may not be the answer we wanted! But until we get an answer – we shouldn’t stop lifting it up to our Heavenly Father.

What if our prayer would have been answered on day 100...but we quit praying about it on day 90, 95 or even day 99? What miracle would we have seen happen on day 25....but because on day one we just threw it up to God and never brought it to His throne again, the miracle was never seen?

How many times do we spend our time whining to God about Him not answering our prayers, when if we are honest, we have stopped lifting them up to His throne. We don’t stop praying about a concern because we’ve received an answer…we give up because the answer isn’t coming in OUR time. Then we blame God for not answering our prayers. At least in my life…I’m sure I have caused Him to shake His head more than once when I start my whining and complaining.

I’m sure we can all agree that we are living in a time when we really need to see miracles take place and realize that our prayers CAN make a difference. But we need to be passionate and persistent...not giving up until we get answers. So, I’ve decided to work hard on praying more and whining less in the days ahead. Hopefully one of the “perks” of this will be that I will look more like Him instead of resembling a spoiled brat!

“Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”

Ephesians 6:13-18 The Message

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