When your pastor's wife looks like a fashion model...

Our pastor's wife is one of the most beautiful women I know.  Not only does she look like a fashion model, but she models the Proverbial woman as well.

It can create a bit of a challenge.

Years ago when we were considering her husband and her for the senior pastorate position at our church, someone asked me what I thought about Rhonda.  Having known Rhonda and Steve for years prior to them being considered for the pastorate, the answer was easy. "When I grow up I want to be just like her." I could see the surprised look on the face of the one asking the question because Rhonda is nine years younger than me.

You see, for as long as I've known her, she has been a living example of the Proverbs 31 woman and an amazing prayer warrior.  She is gracious, loving and kind beyond words. Not only that, she is strikingly beautiful.

The challenge for me was knowing, as the older woman, I should be the example for her.

Our friendship goes back many years, and I have enjoyed watching her in her marriage and as she raised her children.  Being nearly a decade older, I was able to see some things I had done right in my own marriage and child rearing, and many things I had done wrong.  Seeing her dedication to God's word and her willingness to follow her husband's lead, has often humbled me and made me examine my own attitudes and behaviors. Although I love God's word, I'm afraid I haven't always been as best example of the Proverbial woman and submissive wife to those who are younger than I am.

Now that we're both grandmothers watching our children serving the Lord and raising their own families we marvel at the work of God's hand in our lives and thank Him for the opportunity to serve alongside one another.I am especially grateful that He placed this delightful younger woman in my life to help remind me of the joy and beauty that comes from loving our Lord Jesus Christ passionately and allowing Him to do His work through us.

What is it like serving alongside of a pastor's wife who looks like a fashion model and models the Proverbial woman?

A blessing beyond measure!

To get to know Rhonda Stoppe a bit better, I encourage you to look into the books she's written. She has two great books (available through Harvest House Publishers or Amazon) 'Moms Raising Sons to be men' and 'If My Husband Would Change Then I'd Be Happy(and other myths women believe), and has just finished writing her third book 'Real Life Romance' releasing in January2018.

#thevelveteengrandma #blessedbeyondmeasure #canyounlife #lifeinthecanyon

Comfort for a hurting world

"Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by

God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Have you ever hurt for those you know and love, or the world around you?  Not just a little, "Oh I'm sorry they're going through a tough season." but the gut wrenching sorrow that makes you wish you could take away their pain and suffering.

The events of the past few weeks have made me cry out in tearful prayer.  The tragic death of a friend's two year old granddaughter, and the chemical attacks in Syria where children and adults were poisoned and left gasping in pain are just two situations that have driven me to my knees in intercessory prayer.

Sometimes living in this broken world is harsh.

As I have prayed and pondered over the things that cause me to wince in sorrow for others, I find I am continually drawn to the verses from 2 Corinthians.  I am so deeply grateful for the times I have been comforted by God through the kindnesses of those around me, who are paying forward the comfort they themselves have received from God through the hands of others.

I was only 17 when my nephew (front in center in the picture above) was dying from lymphoma at eight years old. The Vietnam war was still in full swing and many of the young men I knew were being drafted to go fight on foreign soil. In addition my Dad was beginning to show signs of declining heath.  Life simply didn't make much sense, but it was especially difficult when my nephew lost his battle with lymphoma.  I didn't understand how a merciful God would allow an eight year old child to suffer and die, nor how He would let people senselessly kill one another in another war that made 18 year old boys cringe at the thought of being sent to fight. Even though I knew there would be a time when my Dad would no longer be with me, the thought was terrifying in a world that seemed to get crazier by the day. 

In looking back, I realize it was his and mom/s steadfast faith in God being Sovereign that helped me navigate a very difficult passage of time. Their confidence in His plan, even when they didn't understand it, helped me to begin a deeper journey of trusting Him as I grew into adulthood. When my own son became gravely ill many years later when only 15 moths old, their same steadfast faith and confidence in God's Sovereign will, once again brought comfort to my hurting heart. Wrestling with the reality that God allowed my son to live, when my brother's son had not, sent me deeper into God's word,and honed my faith even more.

Not long after my boy was healed from kidney disease, I was given the opportunity to comfort a young mother whose daughter had suffered a massive head injury after being accidently run over by the child's aunt. I knew I didn't have anything of my own to offer, other than the comfort God had given me so many times in the past. Many prayers were lifted on their behalf, and I witnessed God comfort the family during their long season of the testing of their faith.

And that's exactly what difficulties in life do, they test and hone our faith. They cause us to try to run away from God and the hurt and sorrow, or carry us into a more intimate relationship with Him. If we try to run, we find we are hounded by questions and doubts as our faith is assailed. Yet, when we choose to accept the comfort that is offered at the hands of those who have been comforted by Him, we are drawn deep into His embrace and experience a peace that is beyond explanation as our faith becomes just a little bit stronger.

Nothing is wasted in God's economy. He uses everything for our good and His glory.

Let me say it again.

Nothing is wasted in God's economy. He uses everything for our good and His glory
Nothing wasted! EVERYTHING for our good and His glory!

When DT was desperately sick and hospitalized so many times for nearly two years, Romans 8:28,31, and 35-39 became some of my favorite verses:
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."(vs 28) "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (vs 31) and "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter" (Ps.44:22) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height or depth, nor any other created ting, shall be able to separate us for the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (vs 35-39)

What comforting thoughts. If God is for us nothing can be against us, and nothing can separate us from His love. And isn't that what we all want the most, the knowledge that we're not abandoned or forgotten, and the comfort and peace that we are deeply loved and cared for and protected by the One Who created us?

It is that amazing and deep rooted confidence that carries me through the rough patches in life and grants me the ability to offer that same confidence and peace to others who are in need. The wonder and joy of His presence as I lean into Him and invite others into His embrace, surrounds and holds me through the stormiest seasons, and I rest in His mighty hands.

May He forever be glorified in all I say and do.

Living a life of peace, contentment and joy

"See to it that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all." 1Thessalonians 5:15

While I doing my Bible study today, I came across notes I'd written on 1 Thessalonians 5:11-22. At the very bottom of the page is the line "The beauty of a life well lived for Christ - Peace, Contentment, Joy".  There is a simple drawing of a butterfly next to it as my personal reminder to continue living a transformed life.

For me, living the transformed life is a daily choice.

Each morning, and throughout the day, I must decide if I am going to live in obedience to God's will, or recklessly pursue my own. The path I choose determines my destination.  When I choose my own selfish will, I discover I bump along the road frustrated (and often angry) with those near me.  The beam in my eye (see Matthew 7:3) prevents me from seeing clearly as I try to perform spiritual surgery on the world around me. More often than not, in my blinded pursuit of self-will, I stumble and fall, hurting not only myself, but others as I grasp for a hand hold on anything that might save me from myself.

On the flip side, when I deliberately and actively choose to pursue the path God has laid before me, I find peace of spirit is my first companion. Coming quickly up beside is contentment, which ultimately brings joy.  I'm not sure why I would ever want to stray from His path, but I know the enemy works to "steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10) so I must constantly guard my heart and daily prepare for the battle (Ephesians 6:10-18) that will always ensue.

Once I am fully prayed up and prepared for the day, I am better able to do that which I've been called to do; share Christ's love with those around me.

To do so, taking note from 1 Thessalonians 5:11-22 I find it easier as I joyfully anticipate His return.

• Verse 11 tells me I am to comfort and edify, which reminds me I am to be an encouragement to others. My job is to build up, not tear down, to comfort with Christ's presence, always remembering I am responsible for my affect on other people's lives.
• Verses 12-14 urge me to respect those in leadership roles. God is dealing with me through those He has put in authority over me. My response to them ultimately shows my response to God. I am reminded to warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, and to be patient with all.
• Verse 15 reminds me to pursue grace, always seeking after that which is good. A reference verse in my notes is Colossians 1:27 "Christ in you, the hope of glory." On my own I am unable to do what God calls me to, with Him, all things are possible.(see Philippians 4:13) Christ demonstrated strength in His ability to initiate good in the face of evil. He is the One Who will empower me to do the same.
• Verses 16-18 are the reminders that joyful thanksgiving is a necessary part of the journey.  Learning to give thanks in every situation takes practice, but it is possible knowing God is in control. He never looks down and says "Oops!" By determining to pray without ceasing, with an attitude of gratitude for every situation helps me to focus on God's sufficiency in all things. In thanking Him, even in the difficult times, I demonstrate my willingness to trust Him without reservation or hesitation. He is always faithful.
• Verses 19-20 reminds me a yielded spirit is one that is totally surrendered to God's plan. I am most victorious when I am completely obedient to Him. His word is the lamp that lights the path He places before me, and strengthens me for the journey.
• Verse 21 tells me to be discerning.  I am only able to do so as I search the word and ask God to grant me a discerning spirit.
• Verse 22 the reminder to abstain from every form of evil. I must continually protect my eyes, mind and body from the enemy. He is subtle and sly and will use every weapon he can to distract and disrupt me from doing God's will.  A good verse to remember is "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." Isaiah 54:17 Memorizing God's word isn't just an activity for children in Sunday school, it is the protective armor that keeps us safe from the lies of the enemy.

Contentment verses complacency

An interesting thing happened this morning when I was trying to write this post.  I had a complete article written on contentment, but it appears to have gotten lost somewhere in cyberspace.

After searching for the lost post for some time, I could easily have given up,

putting into practice the very thing I had written about, being content in all circumstances.

In the previously written, and now lost post, I had compared the attitude of enjoying the

sunshine today, over the rain that has pummeled the area over the last few weeks. I looked at

how easy it is to slide into discontentment when things don't go the way we think they should.

I even used my goofy dogs who choose to sit on top of their doghouse in the rain looking forlorn,

but then are anxious to get outside when we bring them in out of the rain, as an example.

Their behavior is so much like ours is far too often.  We think we want what we want until we

have it, and then we want something else.

As I looked for the lost article, I began thinking about the difference between contentment and complacency. It would have been easy to simply give up and not even bother to post today. After all, I had written a complete piece and it had simply disappeared. Maybe I wasn't supposed to write today.

But in my heart, I knew there was a message that needed to be shared. The more I adjusted my attitude about the lost piece,and prayed what the Lord would have me do, the more I realized I needed to share the difference between contentment and complacency. It's a fine line that divides being content in what is, and rolling over into complacency and an unwillingness to do anything to make a situation better.

I know I tread a very thin space in trying to make my point.

I am well aware of the Scripture that says "Godliness with contentment is great gain." 

(1 Timothy 6:6 ) and completely agree that being content in the things the Lord has provided is paramount to contentment.  Recognizing and appreciating the abundance in which He provides is the joy of living centered in His will. He always supplies above and beyond all we can ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20) So the challenge arises:

What are we to do when things cause us to feel discontent?  

    Do we ever allow complacency to keep us from true contentment?

I recently had a conversation with an older woman who has been living under a tarp on the streets near my work.  She has lived there for two years. When I asked, she gladly shared her story. She was happy that I cared enough to spend time talking with her. As our conversation continued and she spoke of being grateful for God's provision over the time she'd been on the street, a question began forming in my mind. When she had told me all the details of her situation, I asked her if she thought she was fulfilling the purpose God had for her life where she was. She and the younger woman with her exchanged a look. I knew the question had challenged both of them. Not wanting either of them to think I was judging their situation, I told them I saw they were helping one another, which was good. I continued to press them though on whether or not they felt they were doing what God wanted them to do. I immediately saw the answer to my question in their eyes. The older woman spoke up first. She realized that, even though her current situation wasn't as bad as many on the streets, she had family who had been pressing her to make a change, and she knew she could be a better advocate for others on the street if she empowered herself. The younger woman nodded, but I could sense she was still fighting to find the next hand hold up out of her current state. I encouraged them to find a Celebrate Recovery program nearby, and both seemed willing to do so, the older of the two expressing she knew it was time to move forward. She recognized she had become complacent about her situation and needed to make the necessary changes to fulfill God's plan for her life. My prayer is she will be able to do what she said she was going to do, and will help her younger friend to achieve the same victory.

Contentment in the things God has provided is a wonderful gift for everyone. Complacency is a lie from the enemy of our souls. Contentment comes from being satisfied knowing we are in the center of God's will. Complacency comes from failing to seek Him in all things. We need to respond when He tells us to move forward or to be still. We need to listen carefully to His instructions and obey Him in all things. He has a great purpose and plan for each one of us and seeking to fulfill it is what brings ultimate contentment.

May He receive honor in all things we say and do.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5&6

"Seek the LORD while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near" Isaiah 55:6

Saying farewell to 2016

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
Philippians 1:2-6

As I look at the gathering night on this last day of 2016, I find I am fighting a bit of melancholy. Having had a cold for over 10 days probably contributes to the malaise. I am weary of not feeling good. I feel as though Christmas snuck past while I was trying to fight this nasty bug.  Other members of my family were ill as well, so the holiday lacked quite a bit of its normal luster. Although the upcoming New Year is merely hours away, I find I have no energy to celebrate. I am glad to bid 2016 good bye, (it's been a stretching year emotionally), but my zeal for the coming year is lagging.

When I find myself in the valley such as this, I am comforted by the knowledge that God holds all things in His competent hand.  He has not looked down on my situation with surprise.  He is fully aware of the place I am in my journey today, and holds great things in store for me. He is kind and patient and able to wait for me to get to where He needs me to be. I know He will strengthen me for whatever task lays ahead.

For now He is allowing me a moment to rest at our canyon retreat and reminds me not to worry about tomorrow.  Tonight my husband and I will lift our family and friends in prayer as we close out the year together as we normally do, enjoying one another's company in the quiet of our home.  The days of loud parties are distant memories that make us smile, but that neither of us miss. A quiet evening spent with each other is much more to our liking.  If we stay awake late enough, we will share a kiss after watching the ball drop at Time Square. In years past, we have managed to wake up from our slumber long enough to watch the celebration, pray for a  blessed New Year for all we know and love, kiss each other and thank God for another year together.

So even though wearied from a cold that has lingered far too long, stretched because of a year that had many rough patches, and tired, simply because I'm getting older, I can still rejoice.

God is still on His throne and carefully measuring out the moments for each of us.  As we head into 2017 I pray that each one of you will find the purpose and joy in following the path He has laid before you.  Rest when He says to rest, move when He says to move.  Above all things, trust Him.  He is worthy of all our praise and faithful to complete that which He's begun.

Have a blessed and safe close to 2016 and a joyous 2017. 

Emmanuel~ God with us

As I sit here watching the storm roll in and the Christmas lights twinkling brightly against the gathering night, the Amy Grant song Emmanuel runs through my head. Wonderful, counselor, mighty God, holy One...
The words bring comfort to my spirit.
The last few weeks have been difficult with the passing of my oldest brother, and the memorial service put off until Januray. There has been a large hole in my heart since hearing of his passing and the delayed services have made it difficult to bring a sense of closure. In addition to not being able to grieve with my siblings who all live out of state, December also marks  the month we lost mom ten years ago. It is bitter sweet. Christmas was her favorite holiday.
I find I struggled to find the energy to decorate this year. Grief threatened to rob me of the joy of the season.
And yet as I pressed forward I found the simple act of putting up the tree and decorating the house began to chase the gloom away from my heart. Much like the lights twinkling on the front porch push away the gloominess of the impending storm.

Just like Jesus brought light into a world darkened by sin.

As I look at the house being transformed into a festive celebration of Christ's birth the joy of the season begins to penetrate my heart.
God has promised in His word to never leave or forsake us. This is great news that brings immense comfort and peace. Not only will He be forever with us, but  the light of His grace and truth will ever guide us in His love.
It is news worth embracing and sharing.