Monday Morning Memo: Let's "SEE" Others

Well, today is Labor Day, which is a sure sign that summer is coming to an end.  UGH.  I have so enjoyed this summer’s warm, sunny days and I’m praying we have many more before the snow flies!

 

Labor Day is a day when we honor the American worker; those people who work hard day in and day out to keep this world of ours moving forward.  Everywhere we look, we see laborers who are faithfully doing their job to the best of their ability.  Yes, I’m not naïve enough to think that everyone is doing their very best and working their hardest…but I don’t want to dwell today on those who choose to do just enough to get by.

 

I want us to turn our thoughts to those with whom we come in contact, who are obviously giving their all to bloom where God has planted them.  It doesn’t matter whether they are a cashier, a salesperson, a teacher, a lawyer, a ditch-digger, a stay-at-home parent or a doctor…they get up each morning determined to follow God’s plan for their day.  Even when they aren’t employed at their dream job…they still do their best…working as if God was their boss.

 

2020 changed our world forever…with Covid having a huge effect not only on health, but even our laborers looked much different.  Many places of business had to close due to the virus…and unfortunately…many of those businesses never reopened due to their severe financial loss.  Some reopened, but it has taken everything they’ve had to stay afloat.  Now in 2023, America’s workforce is still stressed beyond measure and there are few homes which haven’t been affected in some way.  

 

I think it is even more important then to be observant of those with whom we come in contact as we go about our daily lives.  In many cases, we have no idea what each person is facing in their life, and we may not realize that some are at their breaking point.  They may be holding on by a thread and it just may be that our making sure we “see” them, could be what makes the difference.  I think so many people feel invisible in this world and believe that no one cares…no one even sees them.  

 

It is so important we recognize and appreciate these dedicated workers today on Labor Day and in the days to come.  Some people give their all in everything they do…but they never have anyone notice and I find that sad.  It is easy to become so busy in our day that we overlook those whom God has placed in our path who need an encouraging word.

 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, as we go throughout each day, we were intentional in praising those we see?  It doesn’t have to take a lot of our time; sometimes just a simple, heartfelt “thank-you” is appropriate.  Maybe it is just asking the cashier how he or she is before they can say anything to us.  Maybe it is writing our child’s teacher a note, thanking him or her for all they do to instruct our loved one.  Maybe it is taking the time to tell our spouse how much we appreciate all they do each day to make our lives easier. 

 

The list of those we can encourage is endless.  The key is that we must be intentional; otherwise, opportunities will be missed.  The amazing thing is that as we lift the spirits of others, we will also be blessed.  The reason is that we can’t out give God…so as we deliberately strive to bless others…we will be blessed in return.

So let me begin by thanking all of you, my readers, for the love, support and encouragement you have shown me.  I am so humbled that you take your valuable time to read my ramblings.  Some of you I know quite well and there are others whom I have never met.  Regardless, you have blessed me immeasurably and my prayer is that God will shower you with HIS blessings as you continue your journey with HIM!

 

“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:3-6

Monday Morning Memo: While We Wait!

I shared last March that one of my favorite songs is, “When We All Get to Heaven”.   I don’t know about you; but this song gives me chills every time I sing it.  It’s almost like having a mini mountaintop experience as I think about how wonderful it will be when I see my Jesus face to face. The problem is that just like all other mountaintop experiences, sooner or later I must come down off that “high” and go back to living in the day-to-day trenches.  Yes, it is going to be magnificent when we all get to heaven; but how in the world am I supposed to get through each day while I wait for that day to arrive?

This song answers that question.  Verse three tells us:

Let us then be true and faithful,

Trusting, serving every day;

Just one glimpse of Him in glory

Will the toils of life repay.

 

In the meantime…while we wait…we are to trust and serve.  It sounds so simple, but sometimes hard.  For some reason, our “self” often gets in the way, and we struggle with just simply trusting Him.  

It never ceases to amaze me that I allowed a man, whom I had never met before the first appointment, to open my back and work on my spinal column.  Not just once…but five different times!  I trusted him to do this because he had a framed piece of paper on the wall saying he was qualified.  But yet, I serve a God who created the entire universe, formed me in my mother’s womb, who knows my yesterday, my today and my tomorrow and I sometimes struggle to trust Him and take Him at His Word.  His qualifications far outweigh a framed piece of paper yet trusting Him and serving Him doesn’t always come easy.

I love how The Message translates Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.  Don’t assume that you know it all.  Run to God! Run from evil!”  We SO need to take these verses to heart.  Where we usually get in trouble is when we put our focus on trying to figure everything out on our own, instead of just trusting Him from the bottom of our heart.  I think instead of listening…we are often talking; telling Him what we think we should do and as a result our spirit becomes unsettled and the trenches seem to collapse in around us.

Maybe that is how you are feeling today.  Maybe your circumstances feel overwhelming, and you have yourself worked up into a lather because you aren’t in control.  Possibly you think you know it all and that if God would just do what you think He should do…everything would work out.  Let me ask you a question; how’s that working for you?  If I had to guess, I would say it probably isn’t going well.  Why?  Because you are not allowing Him to have complete control; letting Him keep you on the right track.

Oh, what a day it will be when we all get to heaven. But until then…we are to trust.  Until then…we are to serve.  Until then…our focus needs to be upward for that first glimpse of our Jesus which will erase all memories of the trenches.  That my friend will be a mountaintop experience which will be never ending! 

Monday Morning Memo: Light Bulb Moments

I love what I call a “Light Bulb Moment”.  It’s that moment when something you read, or something you hear begins to make sense.  It’s as if a light bulb comes on in your brain and you learn information you didn’t know before; or something you didn’t understand suddenly becomes comprehendible.  

As a writer and speaker, I believe my responsibility is to have what I share in print and what I speak from a pulpit cause my readers and listeners to have “Light Bulb Moments”.  I am to convey what God has laid on my heart in such a way that everyone can understand the point of which I write or speak.   I am passionate about what I share, and I desperately want to convey my thoughts in a way which makes you want to be passionate too.  Believe me, especially in the pulpit, it is usually fairly simple to see who is understanding and absorbing what I am saying and who has either tuned me out or even worse, decided to take their morning snooze!

But if a person doesn’t read what I have written or make a point to listen to my preaching, they aren’t going to understand what I am trying to convey and there is no way they will have a “Light Bulb Moment”.  Even if they read my books, receive my weekly devotional, or sit in a sanctuary where I am delivering the morning message, nothing new will be learned if they don’t act by either reading or listening.   It is impossible to just learn through osmosis; action must be taken.

I was thinking about this one day and I had a “Light Bulb Moment”.  It suddenly occurred to me that as difficult as it is for me to witness through my ministry when others won’t read or listen, how much more difficult must it be for our Savior when we neglect to read His Word and listen to His voice.   I often hear people say they just don’t know what they are supposed to do; they’re frustrated, lost and confused and really want some direction in their life.  But when they are asked if they are reading their Bible and spending time in prayer, their answer is often “No”.  Oh, they own a Bible and they sit in a sanctuary every Sunday, but effort is not made to open His Word and really listen to His servant share from the pulpit.  They often believe the Bible was written for people in the olden days and doesn’t relate to the trials and tribulations of today.

How that must bring pain to our Lord.  Here is someone who healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law  (Mark 1:29-31), cleansed lepers  (Luke 17:11-19), restored a man’s withered hand  (Mark 3:1-6), restored sight to blind men  (Matthew 9:27-31), raised from the dead a widow’s son  (Luke 7:11-17), raised Lazarus from the dead  (John 11:1-44), calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee  (Mark 4:35-41), fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:32-44), forgave a prostitute  (John 8:11), and healed a woman who had been crippled for 18 years  (Luke 13:10-17).  What did He get in return for His compassion and love for those whom He met?  He was flogged with a lead-tipped whip  (Mark 15:15), stripped of his clothes (Matt. 27:28), crowned with thorns (Matt. 27:29), mocked and taunted  (Matt. 27:29), spit on and hit in the head with a stick (Matt. 27:30), nailed to a cross  (Matt. 27:35) and speared in His side (John 19:34).

Does this sound like someone who wouldn’t understand the trials and frustrations you are going through today?  I think not.  But for you to fully comprehend how much He cares for you; to fully grasp the magnitude of what He has done for you; and to fully realize where He wants to lead you in the days ahead, you must take action.  You must open His Word and listen to His voice.  It’s impossible to have “Light Bulb Moments” if you aren’t intentional in getting to know Him.

Have you lost your way and aren’t sure what path to take?

 

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

Psalm 119:105

 

Do you have a feeling of hopelessness?

 

“You are my refuge and my shield; 

your word is my source of hope.”

Psalm 119:114

 

Do you feel like the Bible is too hard to comprehend?

 

 “The teaching of your word gives light, 

so even the simple can understand.” 

Psalm 119:130

 

Do you feel like Christ’s words really weren’t meant for you?

 

“My child, listen to me and do as I say, 

and you will have a long, good life.

I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.”

Proverbs 4:10-11

 

Do you feel like the Bible isn’t relevant in 2023?

 

 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.

 It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” 

Hebrews 4:12

 

Is that a glow I see in your head?  I sure hope so…because there isn’t anything much better than a “Light Bulb Moment”!

Monday Morning Memo: The End Result

I was watching one of the morning shows this past week while I was getting ready for the day.  I heard a statement which caught my attention…so I backed it up to hear it again.  It was a man teaching some students about music and he said, “The end result is not as important as the process.”

 

Throughout that day, his statement kept coming to my mind.  While the reasoning behind it might be true for music while learning to play instruments, etc., I think the opposite is true in our Christian walk.  I think if we keep in mind what the end result will be…it will affect how we carry out the process.

 

Let me explain.  As Christians, we know the end result will be spending eternity in heaven with Jesus.  Just yesterday in church we sang the song, You’ve Already Won, with lyrics which say, 

 

I know how the story ends

We will be with you again

You’re the one who saves 

You’re my Savior my defense

So we don’t have to be afraid

No more fear in life or death

I know how the story ends,

We will be with you again.

 

Yes, we know how the story ends…we know the end result.  We also know that only those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior will be there with us.  If we really grasp that fact…then everything we do…every choice we make during our life (the “process”)…should be directed at witnessing to everyone whom we meet.  You see, if our focus isn’t on eternity…then it is easy to direct our thoughts inward…making sure we are as comfortable as possible.

 

I want to share with you a very sobering thought:  Every single person we meet today…will either spend eternity in heaven or in hell.  Our family members…the person who works next to us…the cashier at our favorite store…our neighbor…our boss…every person will have a choice to make as they live out their “process”.  What if we are the only person who is given the opportunity to tell them about Jesus…and we decide not to do it?  What if they need us to be “Jesus with skin on”, to show them how much they are loved?  What if we step out of our comfort zone and make the decision to step into their world…loving them…caring for them…doing everything we can to make sure they accept Him?  Would the end result make heaven just a little more crowded?  I happen to think it would!

 

As we go throughout our week…let’s concentrate on keeping our focus on the end result.  Let’s use that then to help us make daily decisions which will in turn… affect that end result.  Because oh, what a day that will be…when we see our Jesus face to face.  And I’m sure you would agree…we want just as many people as possible to be there with us.

Monday Morning Memo: Pliable in His Hands

I don’t know about you, but I would be lost during my day if I didn’t have prayer. I usually begin praying before I ever get out of bed in the morning and I’m usually talking to my Father at night as I close my eyes to sleep. 

I pray about almost everything. I pray as I work; I pray while I drive (that can sometimes be dangerous!); I always pray before I eat and often while I eat. I spend much of my day in continual conversation with my Jesus. 

You may think I share this with you to sound spiritual; but that isn’t the case. I realize that even if I’m praying 24/7...the content of my prayers might not be pleasing to Him. This occurred to me when I came across this quote from Corrie Ten Boom, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” To be honest, I had to read it several times before its meaning really sunk through my thick head. 

What I took from this quote is this: are my prayers throughout the day allowing me to know Him better and in turn, have a better sense of what He wants me to do with my life...OR are they just desperate prayers thrown up to get what I want in my time of need? A spare tire is usually used in a time of crisis to get you through a tough spot, and I have to ask myself if the majority of my prayers are just that. “Lord, please help me get this task done quickly and easily.” “Lord, please protect my children as they go throughout their day.” “Lord, help my husband to be what he needs to be to make me happy.” Now there is nothing wrong with praying for your day or your children or even your spouse. But if we spend our day just asking the Lord to do what we think He should do, we aren’t getting to know Him, we are just using the “spare tire” to get us where we want to be. 

I know I’m not just supposed to read the Bible to learn more facts, but to also intentionally spend time getting to know the Author in a more personal and intimate way. My focus should be on loving Him more, because if that is what I am doing, I won’t be nearly as concerned about what He can do for me. I will be more interested in what I can do to show Him my love. I will be more apt to allow Him to steer me wherever He sees fit, because my deep adoration for Him will help me to trust Him completely. 

Is this easy for me? No, it is not. I’m a very driven person who often thinks I know what is best for me, my family, my friends and anyone else with whom I come in contact  But in doing that, I’m putting my focus on me and what I know...instead of focusing on the One who knows everything. When I state it that way, I realize how crazy I am for depending on my knowledge instead of His. I need to concentrate in the days ahead on praying more for glimpses of Him throughout my day and less about the things I want to control. I also need to ask Him to allow me to see Him more fully so that I will become more pliable in His hands. Because where He steers...is where I want to go! 

Monday Morning Memo: Living to Serve

Do you ever wonder what in the world we ever did before Google & Siri?  Let me say…I’m old enough to know what we did without those search “tools”…we had to rely on good old fashioned research. We used encyclopedias, other books, asked someone who we thought might know the answer, etc.  But now, all I have to do is press a button on my phone…ask my question…and in seconds the answer is on my screen.  Absolutely amazing.

 

It's fun to sometimes try and interact with Siri when she answers me.  I’ve found that if I thank her for giving me an answer or reminding me to do a certain task…she will respond to me with comments such as “Your welcome” or “Just doing my job”.  But one day, her response stopped me in my tracks.  When I (out of habit) answered thank you, she said, “I live to serve”.

 

I stood there staring at my phone looking at those words and wondered if I can say the same thing about my life.  Am I really “living to serve”, or am I “living to BE served”?  Am I spelling the word as “service” or “serve-us”?  Unfortunately, I think our culture screams at us every day that WE should be the focus; WE should demand our rights; WE deserve to be served.  And as a result, we have a rising number of people who are satisfied to let the government and those around them take care of all their needs. 

 

But before I point the finger at “those” people, I need to ask myself about me.  If I know I am supposed to reflect Christ’s image in everything I do and in every action I make, then I need to begin taking Mark 10:45 more seriously, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Christ did not come so that He could “get”; He came so He could “give”.  And since I am supposed to live as He did, I need to make sure my life is one of service first to Him and then to those around me.

 

As we go throughout our week, let’s make it a priority to serve others with thankful hearts and out of love for our Lord.  If HE is our focus, then it will be much easier to say, “I live to serve”!

Monday Morning Memo: Precious AND a Masterpiece

There is someone who needs to read this today…maybe it is you.  I’ve written about this topic before…but I felt impressed to remind someone again of their worth.  

I’m sure you are all familiar with the song we sung as we were growing up:

Jesus loves the little children

All the children in the world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

These words prompt me to ask you a question today.  Do you feel like you are “precious” to God? If you are like me, it’s easy to believe that this word was for when I was much younger and more innocent.   But in reading the Bible, I came across two verses which negate those thoughts.   Psalm 72:14 (NLT) reads, “He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.”  Isaiah 43:4 (NLT) says “Others were given in exchange for you.  I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.  You are honored, and I love you.”

Me?  Precious?  With all my faults and failures?  Yep, His book doesn’t lie.  And yes, YOU are precious to Him too.  It doesn’t matter what your past has been like, how many times you have made the wrong decision, how inept you may feel at living your life for Him…God loves you more than you can even fathom and YOU are precious in His sight.

Not only are we all precious to God, but we are also His masterpiece!  Isn’t that amazing?  There are times in my life when I don’t feel worthy of being called precious and I sure don’t feel like a masterpiece.  But I am and so are you.  Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) tells us, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

I will be the first to admit that I am my own worst critic, and I’m guessing some of you are that way too.  Often wishing we had done something just a little better, wondering why we can’t do things as well as that person we work with, or questioning why in the world our parenting skills often look like a comedy routine.  I’m going to share advice with you which I have often felt God sharing with me:  Ease up on yourself.  Quit knocking yourself down as if you have no worth.  YOU ARE GOD’S PRECIOUS MASTERPIECE BECAUSE HE DOESN’T MAKE NO JUNK!!

What a blessing it is to be the sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  My prayer is that we will go through this week remembering Whose we are and how much we are loved by Him!