A world without bibles

Imagine a world without bibles. None, anywhere. How much of the bible could you and your family “reconstruct” and preserve from memory? What about you and your small group of friends and their families? How about your entire church? How many of the bible stories could you piece together and how many of the actual scripture verses? (Now there’s an interesting exercise you can do around the table with your family and friends and a tablet of paper!)

In Ray Bradbury’s futuristic thriller, Fahrenheit 451, all books are forbidden, leading to a secret society of “Book People” who memorize entire books so they can be preserved. We may never encounter such a prohibitive society but still we are called to always be prepared to give the reason for our faith and to hide the words of scripture in our hearts, that our lives will be blessed with God’s guidance.

I remember my first MRI. I am not fond of tight claustrophobic places and had memorized several verses to help me through the experience. What I learned is that I should have memorized more verses! There is something about recalling the truth out loud that drives away uncertainty and fear. Retelling God’s truth keeps us from following vain and false teaching. It also builds our faith.

Some people feel they cannot memorize scripture. I recommend starting with short verses or even parts of verses. Write them on cards and review them at short breaks throughout the day. Stick them to your mirror or your computer. Ask a nonbelieving friend if they will help you practice and hold you accountable to memorizing truth.

A world without bibles would be scary indeed. But can you imagine something even more scary? What about a world of believers without the Word in their hearts? That is REALLY scary!

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8

The language of love

In the old Dutch film, Babbette’s Feast, the old General Lorens is found in a moment of contemplation. Facing an empty chair he imagines his younger self sitting there and proclaims to him, “I have fulfilled all of your ambitions and achieved all of your dreams. Now you must prove to me that I made the right choice.” He had forsaken young love to pursue a brilliant military career and now carefully weighs his decision. He concludes that “the only things we can take from this world is what we have given away.”

My mother has always been fond of the song, “Love is something when you give it away, you end up having more.” Thanksgiving is like that too. Thanks is meant for giving. Thanksgiving is a language of love. (Contrarily, Billy Graham would talk of ingratitude as being one of the most vicious of sins.)
Imagine a life filled with giving thanks and one characterized by ingratitude. At life’s end you will be remembered for one or the other. Funny, we aren’t often aware of making life choices. But make them we do everyday in the small ways we give thanks and share our appreciation with others. Grow your life legacy by growing and sharing your thankful heart today.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” Psalm 92:1

Black Friday saving

This offer doesn’t expire until you do…or Jesus returns.
Jesus loves you. Accept the free gift while time remains.
Already accepted it? Does your life show it?

Let a thankful heart guide you

Are you anxious? Are you worried about how your special Thanksgiving meal will turn out? Are you concerned about how the guests will get along? Will the weather accommodate travel plans? Let’s face it, holidays can be anxious times.

How about we commit to relaxing today and simply give thanks for our many blessings? In everything that happens today let a thankful heart guide you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

Go Light Our World!

Go Light Your World has changed its name to Go Light OUR World (GLOW), emphasizing our community responsibility to bringing light into the darkness. The website change will happen later this week. http://Www.golightyourworld.org will automatically be redirected to http://www.GoLightOurWorld.org. The ministry’s home page will come up first and then viewers can click on the Blog page or other ministry pages. We believe the list of ‘followers’ who get daily posts sent directly to their email inbox will remain unaffected. There is a possibility that the website domain change could cause the site to be down for a short period of time.

Did you know… Go Light Our World is a tax-exempt 501c3 nonprofit ministry incorporated to carry the gospel throughout the world with specific mission of helping families discover and pursue God’s best for them. GLOW is governed by a board of directors including incorporators, Bryan and Marcia Thayer. Tax exempt donations to GLOW go directly to ministry fields in Bolivia, Bulgaria, and other places around the globe. GLOW supports vital ministries that promote self-sufficiency and literacy while introducing children and families to the REAL light of the world, Jesus.

Go Light Our World had its beginning during one of our missions to post-Katrina New Orleans. Beyond our teams’ efforts to rebuild houses, these missions were all focused on rebuilding lives by bringing light to shine into the darkness of their world.

Chris Rice wrote a song titled Go Light Your World, which captures the heart of our ministry. In it he writes:
“There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home.
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world.”

We each were created for a purpose. We weren’t created to sit on the sidelines, but to intentionally and passionately live out our purpose by making a difference in the lives of others.

We believe that God gives each of us a light that can bring real and lasting hope to the lives of others and that working together as a community of believers, our light shines brighter.

We will be sharing more in future posts about how you can partner with us to Go Light Our World!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16

Another view of forgiveness

This prayer was written by an unknown prisoner and left by the body of a dead child at the infamous Nazi Ravensbrück concentration camp.

“O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted on us, remember the fruits we have bought, because of this suffering – our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown out of all of this, and when they come to judgement, let all the fruits we have borne be their forgiveness.”

As you search your heart today, consider those who are your tormentors and your captors. Reflecting on your suffering, what fruits might you bear as their forgiveness? You have the power to forgive because Christ first forgave you.

Forgiveness does not make right that which happened, but it is that which sets YOU free.

God is good . . . all the time

Corrie ten Boom is remembered for her faithfulness during WWI? She provided a secret hiding place in her home to protect and free scores of jews who were persecuted by the Nazi police. For her efforts she was incarcerated at the Ravensbrück concentration camp. There she suffered many atrocities, along with her fellow captives.

The story is told that years later, after coming to America, a man came to visit Corrie in her home. “Corrie, he commented, “Certainly God is good to provide you such a nice home.” Corrie replied, “God was good when I lived at Ravensbrück too.”

What is the condition of your heart today? Is it able to see God’s goodness in times of trial and suffering as well as in times of blessing? God doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He will never abandon you. God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Blessed are those who are able to see God’s goodness as always present in good times and in bad. It is from this perspective and reality that his light shines into the darkness of your life and the lives you touch.

“Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.”
Psalm 107:1

Who leads you?

Even though few of us live or work in an agricultural environment I think we can all associate with the opening of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul.” I suspect that even many nonbelievers find solace in these words. Isaiah warns us “We all like sheep have gone astray.” (Isaiah 53:6) We all need someone to lead us to safety and green pastures.

Who, or what, is leading you these days? An examination of our lives might suggest we are led primarily by television or movies, books and magazines, an addiction to Facebook, email, Twitter, or any number of Internet fascinations, friends, political parties, vain philosophies, career ambitions, technology, education, or finances.

If your conscience convicts you to pause at one of these ‘false leaders,’ it would be good to take a time out and talk with God. Ask him to be your shepherd today and in your life. Doesn’t resting in green pastures and sitting beside calm waters sound just like what you need today?

More than a cancer patient

November 22, 2012. We were driving home from a day filled with family gatherings. As we approached our exit on the interstate, my lower back suddenly started to cramp up. I was sure I had overextended myself playing with all the grandchildren. Within a few hours I would find myself in immense pain, ultimately requiring two trips to the ER to put me down. Later I would discover it was a huge army of immature white blood cells that were applying so much pressure on my bone marrow cavity that they prevented mature cells from growing. Two weeks later would come the diagnosis of AML – Leukemia.

Early on, my wife and I decided we weren’t going to let cancer define us. As individuals and as a couple we are more than that. But everyday, the condition and details of Leukemia would continue to press in: Medical reports to be interpreted, daily procedures that were foreign to us, always more numbers and counts to track, and of course the pain from the condition and the treatments.

It was a new world to us and each step of the way we found ourselves asking, “Who am I in the midst of this?” “Am I a cancer patient or a man who has cancer?” You might ask what is the difference. The first question sees the product of an ailment. The second acknowledges a person of value, choice, and meaning who also experiences cancer. Cancer defines the person in the first question. It is only one element in the second. We cannot escape it and we have to attend to it, but it does not determine who we are. We are creatures of conviction, not just circumstance.

How about you? No doubt, you have confronted great battles before. But are you a divorced person or a unique individual who has experienced the pain of divorce? Are you a poor person, or a person of limited financial resources who is in many ways richer than others? Are you an invalid or a person constrained by illness or physical condition, but still filled with ideas and passions to share with others?

When does faith in what is unseen become the vessel that carries you through that which is seen and experienced? When does faith determine who you are and the circumstantial condition become something to navigate?

The answer is found when we come to realize who we are in relation to our great God. When we realize our victorious nature comes from his power, our circumstances lose their power to overcome us.

One goal to pursue

What’s on your to-do list today? This week? What do you aim to accomplish yet this year? What about before you leave this world? Goals make us examine our hopes and dreams and help us prioritize how we want to invest our time, energy, and financial resources. Of course, all goals are ‘as unto the Lord,’ for we ultimately don’t have as much control as we think we might over our plans and future. As we recently evaluated some of our goals, some rose to a higher position of importance than others.

Paul came to the conclusion that not only his past, but all his future goals fell underneath just one surpassing goal, to know Jesus. In fact everything else fell so short of this one goal that he considered them “garbage” in comparison.

His goal is to be found “in him,” that is, immersed in Christ. When we are immersed in something we are connected in such a way that it becomes our identity, our purpose. Paul recognizes that any good comes not from himself but through faith it comes from Jesus. Oh that we would come to such knowledge, instead of thinking that we bring some inherent goodness on our own power, but rather know that all goodness comes from our trust in God.

Every goal has its reward and its price. Paul writes, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” If we were to examine all the New Testament, we would find such references to suffering in every book. Instead of running away from suffering, Paul makes a goal of pursuing suffering when it leads him to knowing Jesus and making him known.

How about you? Not all suffering is of the Lord. Some suffering is more of inconvenience. I broke my ankle because I was in too much of a hurry on the ice. I wouldn’t call that suffering for the Lord. But there is that suffering that bears witness to Jesus, that advances his gospel, that leads us into deeper relationship with him. We shouldn’t be so quick to pray away that sort of suffering!

Knowing Jesus is a process, isn’t it? It takes more than a lifetime. Can you see all your other goals in their relationship to this one most important one?

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13b-14

One minute to leave

We’ve seen it played out on TV and read it in stories and news. Perhaps you have experienced a tragedy first hand where you had just one minute to leave your house for another place of safety. Whether it be a gas leak, an explosion, a fire, or other catastrophe, we are warned: “Get out immediately. Don’t go back for the cat or dog or any prized possessions. Your life is the most important thing to save. ”

But if you could grab one thing by the side of your bed or by the door on the way out, what would it be? Your wallet and cell phone? The family photo album? And what if it weren’t an impending catastrophe but a sudden move that required you downsize to everything but a few suitcases? What would you keep?

We surround ourselves with so many things that pay tribute to the past. I know. I’ve been sorting through things lately, prioritizing ones of more value than others and some I am finally ready to let go of. The past has a certain hold on us.

Paul addresses not just the tangible things we hold on to from the past but also our very identity…what we are known for. He concludes:
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”

Think about that…whatever awards you have achieved, whatever papers you have written, things you have created, accomplishments you’ve attained, or possessions you have accumulated…all these considered as loss for the sole sake of knowing Jesus.

Would you make the trade? Those who know Christ will someday do exactly that, for we take nothing with us when we leave this life for the next. I wonder though, do we sometimes cling too dearly to the things of the past while we live now? What value do they add compared to knowing Jesus and making him known? And to what extent do they actually impede this ultimate goal?

I think of the young pastor from the city who went to visit an old mentor who lived in the country. Entering the cottage, the young man saw only a single room with not much furniture at all. “You don’t have many belongings,” commented the young man. Eying the single suitcase in the young man’s hand, the old man replied, “Neither do you.” The young man said, “But I’m just staying for a short visit.” “So am I,” replied the old man, “so am I.”

This is not a call to get rid of everything you have, though God just may issue such a call. The question for each of us is what do we hold onto and what holds onto us that keeps us from knowing Jesus more fully? You never know when you have just one minute to leave.

The measure of a life

How do you measure a life when what you are able to DO is so limited? The answer must be found in who you ARE. A grand sequoia stands tall whether or not there is someone to measure it. A flower blooms whether or not there is someone to enjoy it. A faithful warrior will be remembered well not just for their victories but for their valor.

Valor is found not only on the battlefield but in the living room, where children learn enduring values from loving parents. Valor is found where a friend stands up for a friend and where a stranger is welcomed into the community fold. Valor lives where the sick are not forgotten, where the needy do not go unnoticed. Valor is lifted up where we don’t surrender to the mocking ways of society but stand firm for what is right. Valor is found in faithful love and generous compassion. Valor waits at every bend of the road of our unpredictable lives.

As your life is measured, don’t you want the ruler to be one of valor?

“The Lord is with you oh mighty man of valor.” Judges 6:12

My favorite things

In the Sound of Music, governess Maria comforts the children during a thunderstorm by making up a song called My Favorite Things, reflecting on:
“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things”
…and concluding that:
“When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad.”

Thinking of “Whiskers on kittens and warm woolen mittens” may help us get through a simple thunderstorm. But which of your favorite things will save and sustain you through the great storms of life? which favorite things make up a fulfilling life? What might our loving God have in mind for us that we don’t yet regularly pursue?

Enjoy God fully today and pursue the very best and favorite things he has in store for you. You may discover that time with him can become your very most favorite thing of all!

Seven Wonders of the World

The Seven Wonders of the World
Author Unknown

Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter’s Basilica
7. China’s Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.”

The girl hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch…
2. to taste…
3. to see…
4. to hear… (She hesitated a little, and then added…)
5. to feel…
6. to laugh…
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful – and we don’t have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your God-given gifts! Share them with others.

All In, All the Time

You can be “sort of” a fan of a sports team. You can be sort of persuaded by a political persuasion or the global warming debate. You can be half bullish and half bearish in financial investments. You can be half a fan of science fiction and half a fan of modern adventure.

But…

“There are some things you can’t half do:
You can’t half get married.
You can’t half have a baby.
You can’t half go sky diving.
You can’t half follow Jesus.”
– Billy Graham, My Hope America promotional video

How important is your faith to you? Not just on Sunday or at prayer time. Isn’t it time to be all in, all the time?

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ – Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23

Missionary or Imposter?

How can you tell the difference between the ‘real deal’ and imposter? One proven method is to compare a known truth side by side to the counterfeit. A fake twenty-dollar bill will be revealed to be different from the real one. A counterfeit painting will reveal flaws when examined with the authentic one. Jesus said: “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-17)

A person can say many things, write many things, and act in many ways, but we all are known by our fruit. Think for a moment on your life passions, not what you want to be remembered by but those passions which actually drive your day-to-day actions, those that fill you with such joy. Is it not reasonable to believe that others who are close to you will also know your passions by your behavior?

Famed preacher Charles Spurgeon* put it this way:
“If Jesus is precious to you, you will not be able to keep your good news to yourself; you will be whispering it into your child’s ear; you will be telling it to your husband; you will be earnestly imparting it to your friend. Every Christian here is either a missionary or an impostor. Recollect that. You either try to spread abroad the kingdom of Christ, or else you do not love him at all. It cannot be that there is a high appreciation of Jesus and a totally silent tongue about him. Of course I do not mean by that, that those who use the pen are silent: they are not. And those who help others to use the tongue, or spread that which others have written, are doing their part well: but that man who says, “I believe in Jesus,” but does not think enough of Jesus ever to tell another about him, by mouth, or pen, or tract, is an impostor. You are either doing good, or you are not good yourself. Be wise in your generation, and speak of him in fitting ways and at fitting times, and so in every place proclaim the fact that Jesus is most precious to your soul.”

Missionary or imposter? It is a hard question for us to honestly face, but one whose answer defines our life and our faith. Recall what is most precious to you and bear the fruit you were meant to bear today. Go light your world.

“Unto you therefore which believe He is precious.” 1 Peter 2:7

* Charles Spurgeon, 1873, Sword and the Trowel

Tell me who you love…

Max Lucado’s short story, The Book and the Rose, begins with this prophecy:

“Tell me who you love and I will tell you who you are.”

He tells the story of a young soldier about to meet his female pen pal for the first time. Neither knew what the other looked like so she told him she would carry a rose and he told her he would carry a book she had once owned. I won’t spoil the story in case you’d like to read it or watch the short film of the same title. But I’ll share a quote from the film that spoke to me in relation to the opening line.

“I was looking for a beautiful woman and almost missed the love of my life.”

Who is it that you love? And not just who, but what is it about them that you love so much? Is it their beauty or wealth? Or perhaps their talents, their physical strength, or their smile? Such things are so fleeting. They are here for a moment and gone in a breath. But search deeper to discover what is often blind to the human eye. Can you see it with your heart? Their persevering and resilient spirit, their inner joy, their thankful and hopeful heart, their faithfulness.

Tell me who you love and I will tell you who you are.

Who we love, the real person and not just their outward appearance, is a reflection of who we are. It is like a mirror that reflects the image of our heart. Seeing the potential of a disruptive child or the hope for a hopeless lad reflects your loving and believing heart. Seeing a brother in a homeless man or a friend in an irritable coworker reflects in your heart what the eye cannot see.

And who is this God you profess to love? Is he a demanding and distant judge? Is he just a giver of plentiful gifts? Is he the rescuer who only appears when you need help? Or is he the lover of your soul, the one in whom you always find comfort and strength, the one who satisfies you like none other?

Tell me who you love and I will tell you who you are. Draw close to the one you love and I will tell you who you become. Be careful what you look for so you don’t miss the love of your life.

Shine your light

Jesus said YOU are the light of the world.

Yes, but how do I shine my light across the world and how can one person make any difference especially in light of such a catastrophe as the massive typhoon that hit the Philippines this week?

1. PRAY that God those who are mourning and suffering will find God’s grace and strength to carry on. Pray for compassionate hearts to be moved to actin. Pray for God to sensitize your own heart to be aware of and respond to the needs of the around you.

2. GIVE. Even small gifts can make a big difference in a family’s life: a mosquito net, malaria medicine, water filtration systems, shelter, clothing.
Two responsible organizations that are experienced at providing on the ground support are:
Www.WorldVision.org
Www.SamaritansPurse.org

Don’t delay. As God moves within your heart, respond today… While there is still time.

Live a life that matters

Author unknown. . .
Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”(Galatians 5:22-23)

Alice never went back to wonderland

Have you ever pursued a rabbit trail only to later regret it? You know, followed a long winding path that in the end made no sense and was a complete waste of time?

In Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, the young Alice experiences a series of wild and amazing adventures when she accidentally falls down a rabbit hole. It was a confusing place full of mad characters but yet not without a certain fascination.

Alice grew up. She never went back to Wonderland and instead went on with her life, remembering the important lessons from her nightmarish past adventure:

“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”

“If you drink much from a bottle marked ‘poison’ it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.”

“If you don’t know where you are going, then it doesn’t matter which way you go; every road will take you there.”

I wonder how much we are like Alice in being fascinated with mad adventures that keep us from the great adventures God intends for us and take us instead down maddening rabbit paths that lead us nowhere. I wonder how often are we drawn by the elixir of past bad thinking, knowing that it is like poison to us, but not finding courage to put it down. I wonder how often we give in to putting on our old self when we know quite well that our new self is what helps us experience God’s best.

Alice didn’t go back to Wonderland. Neither should we. Forgetting what is past, live today with your eyes fully fixed on the prize that you seek, that which will always be worthy of your life adventure.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

Solving for ‘X’

Do you remember high school algebra where you learned to solve for ‘x’? You equalize the equation on both sides until all you have left on one side is ‘x’, and the solution on the other. Simple enough for algebraic equations. But how do you solve for ‘x’ in real life problems? In a 2011 op-ed, Herman Cain, former CEO Godfather’s Pizza and then presidential candidate summed up his approach:

“Work on the right problems. Ask the right questions. Remove barriers to success. Surround yourself with the right people.”

Can you think of problems you have tried to solve that became more complicated because there were so many distracting issues, it was difficult to focus on the most important ‘right’ problem? We may think the problem is defending our being ‘right’ whereas the problem really is maintaining communication that builds a positive relationship. We think the problem is one of control, whereas it really is one of building ownership. We think the problem is others’ defiance where it really is innovation trying to be expressed. Focusing on the right problem allows you to focus your resources on finding the solution that will bring about the best results.

How wise do you think it would be for a person to consistently try to solve problems on their own without understanding and answering the right questions? I can’t tell you how many times I have responded with an answer I was sure was right, only to discover later I hadn’t asked the right questions. Asking right questions builds understanding and wisdom.

Removing the barriers to success sounds simplistic and conceptually it is. Even though actually accomplishing this goal is often a complicated process, we can’t neglect the wisdom of asking “what is in the way?” Once identified, potential solutions to removing the barrier can be proposed. For example, we might both agree that the hesitancy of one person to express their views holds the communication process hostage. Another barrier might be that the other person dominates the conversation leaving little opportunity for other views to expressed. Whether in a marriage, work setting, committee meeting or board room, identifying the barriers that need to be removed is critical to achieving success.

Finally, surrounding yourself with the right people is crucial to achieving success. I like to surround myself with people who sometimes think differently from me. They challenge me to examine problems from all sides, to see life from different perspectives. Whether or not I concur is not as important as the perspective I gain from understanding alternate views. I learned long ago that I should pray that my children would be surrounded by godly friends. We would do well to pray similarly that our leaders (love them or hate them) would surround themselves with godly counsel.

It’s a good thing God doesn’t leave us alone to face our problems. He’s interested in visiting with you today about the problems you face and helping you ‘solve for X.’.

Right Thinking

When I worked as a prison guard at the Men’s Reformatory, I came across a number of inmates who said they didn’t belong there. “You mean you didn’t commit the crime for which you were convicted?” I asked. “Oh yes,” they replied. “I committed the crime but I didn’t get a fair trial.” In other words, to their way of thinking, they were indeed guilty as charged but they felt their behavior should have been excused due to some technicality. Years later, when Marcia and I volunteered to mentor guys at another prison, we encountered a more honest reflection on the matter: “I committed a crime because I justified it in my own eyes. I had chosen to believe a lie and my actions reflected this. I was wrong.”

No doubt, you have experienced this too, as have I. We know what is right but we justify a way of thinking and believing that is wrong. You don’t have to go to prison to understand this:

Wrong believing leads to wrong thinking. Wrong thinking leads to wrong and hurtful behavior.
Right believing leads to right thinking. Right thinking leads to right behavior.

You can identify with that, right? For example, I know I am well blessed but am hesitant of sharing my blessings with those in need. I know an encouraging word would be helpful, but sarcastic words come so much easier. I know investing my life into others is most beneficial, but I feel so awkward and just want to have some time by myself.

Hopefully, the struggle becomes less as we mature, but the apostle Paul concludes that the victory is beyond our own ability to achieve; only Jesus can deliver us from this ongoing battle. What does that mean in practical terms?
1. Begin each day by acknowledging the battle you face and asking God’s Spirit to guide you through it.
2. Be intentional in seeking God’s wisdom and strength throughout the day.
3. Be persistent in believing He cares for you. Thank him for each victory over your thoughts and actions, however small, and rejoice in his goodness.

Before you go on to the next task of your day, answer this question: “What wrong thinking colors my world?” Believe – Think – Act on what you know is right. If you fail, ask forgiveness and begin again. Make it a habit that is worth pursuing. God isn’t keeping score and he delights in each time you come to him. Isn’t it time to experience more victory in your life?

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:18b-19, 24-25

Loving When You Don’t Feel Like It

In his classic manual, Mere Christianity, CS Lewis discusses the issue of loving God.
“People are often worried. They are told they ought to love God. They cannot find any such feeling in themselves. What are they to do? The answer is the same as before. Act as if you did. Do not sit trying to manufacture feelings. Ask your-self, ‘If I were sure that I loved God, what would I do?’ When you have found the answer, go and do it.”

I have always thought it to be like a train engine that pulls the cars along behind it. Sometimes our actions need to pull our emotions along. It sounds a bit insincere I suppose, when it seems your heart isn’t really in it. But consider the alternative: not acting on love simply because we can’t find the matching emotions! Goodness, how many times do we find someone unloving, or are quite unloving ourselves? I think of the snotty-nosed poor kids we held in Bolivia with who knows what all over their shirts and pants. Not a very compelling visual for love. Or consider the teenager who cries out such angry words at their parent. Are we to abandon love because we are confronted with the unlovely? Or consider our own sometimes apathetic and unloving response to our God. Where would we be if God demanded a love-worthy attitude before he unconditionally poured out his love on us? God demonstrated his love toward us while we were still rebelling against him! (Romans 5:8)

And isn’t the test of real love found in its ability to express itself against all odds, when love itself might not be returned? After all, anyone can love the lovely, especially when there are indications the love will be repaid. CS Lewis continues in his essay, “Christian Love, either towards God or towards man, is an affair of the will.” In other words, feelings will come and go. But the commitment to keep loving does not get carried away by every emotion. If it does, it is likely not real love.

Are you feeling full of love today? Great! Share it with God and with those around you. Do you find the feelings of love have escaped your heart? BE loving anyway. Let your will to love carry you and keep carrying you even if the emotions of love are slow to follow.

“(Love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a

A lamp to your feet and light to your path

I’ve been meditating on Ps 119:105. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” It seems that sometimes God only gives us a lamp for the step we are currently on right now. He wants our footing to be secure so we can stand firm (Eph 6:10) and not stumble. Sometimes our current standing seems more like sitting on a bench. What he has spoken to us in this ‘bench’ season is that we should sit on the bench in obedience and not strive to get back in the game until he calls us. But it is more than that. Because, at least in our case, we are confident that God is actively at work preparing our next steps, he also desires to use this time to prepare our hearts as he draws us closer to him. Like the 14 years between David’s anointing and his crowning and the same period of time between Paul’s conversion and his first missionary journey, it is not a time of twiddling thumbs, but of actively seeking God, enjoying him fully, growing in him, and serving him where we are.

Do you trust that God will also reveal his light upon your path, that you may more clearly see not just your current step but also the near path before you? Be faithful in listening for his voice so, like Samuel, you can quickly respond, “Here I am Lord. Speak for your servant is listening.”

Find blessings as you continue to draw near to such a loving God whose mercies never fail, whose compassions are new every morning. Draw close so he can guide and direct you.

More blessed now than before

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Psalm 103:1

Eleven months after being diagnosed with Leukemia, I find that I am more blessed, even still with a life-threatening disease than perhaps when I was healthier. “How can that be?” you ask.

Have you ever noticed that when the sun comes out on a cloudy day you can see more clearly than before? Have you caught yourself realizing the rare value of loving and being loved unconditionally? Even where bubbly joy may escape you, have you found instead a lasting and contented joy that circumstances can’t shake? If in the presence of adversity you dig deeper to find a heart that has been conditioned to give thanks in all situations, then you have found a treasure. There is always reason to give thanks for the one who trusts our merciful and faithful God. A thankful heart, an attitude of gratitude, is one of the keys to enduring and thriving in the midst of struggles! Along the difficult journey, sometimes surrounded by despair and worry, a thankful heart discovers unspeakable hope and a ‘fully persuaded’ faith that is a firm and secure anchor for your soul. In fact, it is not a new discovery but one which has sustained you all along your path. Only now, it lifts you to greater heights. Its light shines brighter to reveal that your path of trial does not go on forever. If you find these things, you have found immense treasure.

All good news and no bad? Are there no struggles and heartaches? Ones that sometimes wear you down? Oh for sure there are; and certainly more to come. But where there are those, there are blessings all the more. Especially the blessings of faith, hope, and love. These are blessings that are always available to us. In the face of adversity, we always make a choice; perhaps not a conscious one, but a choice none the less: we choose to surrender either to our circumstances and to the impotence of own attempts to overcome them, or to the real power God offers to be victors. Whether your struggles are large or small, whether you have carried them for a short time or much of your life, TODAY is the day you can choose to respond with faith, with hope, with love. Cultivate a thankful heart that learns to rise above the circumstances and rest in the presence of God’s love for you. Be more blessed now than before.

Don’t sweat the small stuff – REALLY!

In the field of stress management studies, there used to be much emphasis on the large stressors of life: death of a loved one, serious illness, divorce, job loss, a big move. And for sure, these major life events do act as significant stressors in our lives. They place huge demands on us to change our way of thinking, adapting, and responding to our place in the world around us. They test the link between body, mind and spirit. They may cause us to seriously examine our identity and purpose in life.

But there is another category of stressors that may affect us more in the long run: little everyday stressors that build up over time with little or no relief.

You’re late to work and can’t find your keys. You spill coffee on your shirt. You hurriedly change clothes and head to work. The person ahead of you decides it is a beautiful day to drive 5 MPH under the speed limit and you hit every red light. You get to work and three people have a crisis they think needs your immediate attention. Meanwhile, you have your own workload that has piled up. Extra appointments cause you to miss lunch. Well, you get the picture.

What is your typical response to these small irritations? Typically we tense our muscles, utter words of despair or frustration, frown, or take out our frustration on others. Like a contagious disease, our negative response to little stressors have no healthy way of being released and so instead infect the rest of our activities, our thoughts, and our interactions with others. Instead of taking these to God so we can experience his peace and his release from negative stress, we let the small stressors build up. It becomes like a snowball rolling down a hill gathering up everything in its path, getting larger and more destructive the further it rolls.

What healthy alternative do we have? First, we can recognize the destructive force small stressors have on our thoughts, actions, interactions, and bodies. Unresolved stress robs us of seconds off our life. And they steal our joy and make us sick. Second, we can create a space between the stressors and our response. We can choose to take a slow breath, breathing in the peace of God and exhaling with forgiving ourselves for getting so upset at something so trivial. Third, we can give thanks, letting this little interruption remind us how fleeting life is, and how many truly great things there are worthy of our attention, our passion, and our energy. We have only so much energy. Do we really want to waste it on the small stuff?

‘Gotta go now and make sure MY day reflects this truth too!

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another… And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12,14 ESV

The Four Promises of Forgiveness

In his book, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Conflict, Ken Sande shares four promises essential to forgiveness:

“I will not dwell on this incident.”
“I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you.”
“I will not talk to others about this incident.”
“I will not let this incident stand between us or hinder our personal relationship.”

Making – and keeping – these promises removes the barriers that create and maintain conflict in a relationship. They bring you and the other person closer whereas not forgiving drives you apart. Remembering that these are the same promises God makes when forgiving us should serve as motivation for us to be faithful in keeping these promises with others.

Have you tried to keep these promises and not succeeded? Maybe you are trying to forgive in your own power. The best reconciliation efforts are those surrendered to God. Take your struggles to him and let him guide and equip you to be a peacemaker in your relationships today.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

Been on an adventure lately?

Jules Verne’s 1864 classic novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth, has captured the imaginations of generations of readers and movie viewers. It offers an adventure that attracts people of all ages, cultures, and time periods. I wonder if it is because Verne is such a good story-teller or because we are ‘wired’ to be inspired by and to live great adventures.

Marcia and I have enjoyed some great adventures: living in Australia, climbing a volcano, partnering in short-term missions, forming relationships with amazing people including our four children who have grown to become adult friends, growing our own love for each other over four decades, going ‘home’ to Bolivia, and even this past year’s journey through Leukemia. Adventures draw us out of our comfort zones and fill us with a sense of excitement, exploration, and energy. Sometimes they bring us to face great personal challenges. They certainly lead us to new discoveries we wouldn’t have uncovered on a more settled path.

Did you know you can live a life of adventure without leaving your home town? Of all the exciting adventures, the journey to experiencing God personally and the good plans he has for you must be the most exciting. It is one where we discover who we are and who we were really meant to be. It is where he reveals himself in our innermost being, and where our deepest desires cry out and are satisfied as only he can. It is the adventure of learning that you have real power to live a victorious life, not one of slavery to the demands of circumstances. It is where we discover joy that surpasses understanding.

The adventure of discovering God leads us to uncover the secret of being content. It is where enduring faith grows. The journey with God reveals our true heart. It begins when we draw close to God and he draws close to us. It is where we learn to hear – and follow – his voice. It is where we learn to find – and share – unexpected blessings every day when our lives intersect with others. It is the adventure that brings us to the reward at the end of this life, “Well done, good and FAITHFUL servant.”

Are you living the adventure God calls you to live? Or have you settled for whatever comes your way? The great thing about adventures is there is no time limit for when they can begin. You can “pack your bags” right now and decide to live the adventure to which God calls you. Not sure what that is? Why not spend time talking with him today about this. Read his Word. I’m pretty sure it is going to have something to do with loving (and enjoying) him and loving others in his name.

Your life is meant not just to be inspired by adventure but to BE an adventure with God. Live it well!

A One in a Million Answer for You

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – Jesus, John 15:7

Are you waiting for an answer to prayer? Have you been waiting so long you feel like giving up? Like maybe God isn’t listening or that he has forgotten about you? He IS listening and he hasn’t forgotten. Some answers require the free-will cooperation of others; others require further transformation of our own heart. Other prayer concerns are meant more to draw us closer to God than to achieve another external goal.

Maybe you think your prayer has a “one in a million” shot at being answered. As you wait for your ‘not now’ answer, consider this poem by Eileen Walker, and find hope in abiding in Jesus as you wait for the perfect answer God has for you.

ANSWERS
I don’t know all of the answers
to life’s perplexities.
But I know enough to ask The Lord to come and intervene….

He says, ‘Don’t fear it nor fight it
Neither yield, nor deny it,
find the appropriate response’

When you’re facing the dark shadows,
Turn around and face the sun.
When the mountain stands before you,
And won’t move into the sea,
It doesn’t mean God hasn’t heard you,
It means, change your strategy.

Find His way to rise above it,
Or construct a tunnel through.
God has a million answers,
He’s designed one just for you!

AML daily routine

This post is for those who follow this blog while traveling your own cancer journey. Each person’s journey is unique but there are commonalities that cross different illnesses.

At 11 months post AML diagnosis and 7 months post stem cell transplant, the daily routine continues to be preoccupied with avoiding infection and staying healthy to what small degree of control there is over that. There is a lot of hand-washing and everything is done mindful of potential infection. Without being germophobic, you are aware that one infection can be a game changer for an immune-suppressed body.

One challenging aspect is maintaining a rigid routine of meals, snacks, medications, exercise, rest, and daily injections. This schedule increasingly governs the activities of the day. (You eat when it is time to eat, not when you are hungry.) Some of this may decrease if the drug-induced diabetes and DVT/blood clot treatment is resolved. Weekly and biweekly medical appointments and lab tests add to this regiment. So in one sense, you find yourself medically retired but with a new full-time ‘job’ caring for yourself.

Perhaps it is a blessing that nothing stays the same. Each pain has its season and then surrenders to something new. Changing medications present both different solutions and side effects. Some affect the body, some affect the mind and emotions. It requires a lot of patience and perseverance from both patient and care giver. Emotions sometimes unexplainably present themselves. Sometimes the day is full of color; and other times more gray, and you find there is only so much control over this. Several months later, you find yourself still beat up by cancer and chemo, and still recovering from the welcomed ‘invasion’ of a new graft immune system. The body is not only under chemical and physical attack but spiritual attack too.

You may also experience an overwhelming sense of vulnerability. This unexpected leukemia-induced blood clot is an example of a small unavoidable event that reminds you of the fragility of life. When I celebrate how well I am doing, my medical team regularly reminds me of this ongoing vulnerability. It poses a challenge for living each day well and fully, with sober thanks for the opportunities each day gives to enjoy the grace God gives us.

The good news in all this is that we are not slaves to our condition. Walking in faith is a matter of willfully choosing to believe that which you know is true, but just cannot see, or experience. Your emotions may be those of unexplainable yet pervasive sadness, or disappointment. But the spiritual reality is that we are not slaves to our emotions. The physical challenges may be extensive, but we are not slaves to our pain. Relationally you may feel alone in the journey, but the reality is that others’ prayers are lifting you up and that God will never leave you.

Experience the spiritual reality that overcomes your physical and mental perception. Let God’s presence guide each step of the journey.

Beyond labels

And now for something completely different:

We are called to be the light of the world, to shine this light wherever we go, and not put it under a bushel basket. So in consideration of the below op-ed, I wonder if our tendency to put labels on people is a type of “bushel basket” that hides our light. Why do we need to put each other in a box that labels us by skin color, political persuasion, 1%, or other delimiter? (For the record, if a label is needed, I am more ‘beige’ than ‘white.’)

Are we not all broken people in need of a loving and forgiving God? I agree with @ByronThomas: people are people; Let’s overwhelm each other with love.

@ByronThomas7 says:
“This goes out to professors across this country. My name is Byron Thomas and I attend the University of South Carolina. It really frustrates me when y’all use the words African American, to describe blacks in America. The word African American makes me feel like I’m not 100% American. It makes me feel like I was born somewhere in Africa and came over here and got my citizenship. But I was born an American and I will die an American because that’s what I am. Why can’t I be like whites in America and just be an American? I see myself just like them because they’re an American citizen and I’m an American citizen. The world views us all as Americans. That 17 trillion in counting debt is an American debt. We are One Nation Under God! So please professors, can y’all stop using the words African American to describe blacks in America. Overwhelm People with Love and May God Bless the United States of America.”