Cloud of Depression
January 27, 2010 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
My apologies to my faithful viewers who have been dissatisfied with my low number of posts so far this new year. I’m finding that I just do not have the time to post as frequently as some of the top-viewed blogs, and if I were to try to keep up a set number of posts per week (as I have done in the past), it will be to the great disappointment of my son, who understandably whines at me to play with him when I start to get tunnel-visioned in my writing. So I’ve been making a choice, in favor of motherhood, and to the detriment of my writing, but that’s ok. So hang with me. I will find a way to create more hours in the day, and will be back with more regular blog postings before long. Thank you for your support!
In the meantime, I would like to post an article that I wrote for a Caring Ministry at my church. It is on depression, and it is something that, I believe, could touch the heart of a lot of people, especially now that the excitement of Christmas has passed and the routine of a new year has set in.
The Christmas trees are down. Families and friends have flown home. The delicious food that we indulged in now sits, maybe not so comfortably, as a few extra pounds on our hips and stomach. We are returning to the daily grind of life, and for some of us, because of a growing depression, that daily grind feels like more than we can handle most days.
Maybe you are feeling a let-down after the highs of the holidays–a gloominess that you know from past experience is temporary and will be gone before long. This is quite common for all of us at one time or another. Maybe depression set in a year ago as the market plummeted and you are having trouble seeing past your financial circumstances to the promises of God. But maybe some of you are feeling a suffocating sadness, like a fog that has engulfed you and won’t lift–a sadness that has been around for a while, stealing your energy, motivation, and joy.
Depression, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, “is a medical illness that involves the mind and body. It affects how you think and behave and can cause a variety of emotional and physical problems.” It can be brought on by a variety of things-biological imbalances, an unhealthy thought-life, unrealistic expectations, difficult circumstances, unresolved anger, unconfessed sin, hormones, or physical factors such as a lack of sleep or nutritional deficiencies, to name a few. If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of depression, please click here to take a self-assessment quiz: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/MH00103_D
So what do you do if you find yourself in that fog? Where can you turn for help? I hope to offer you some short-term help here, and then some long-term hope.
Short-term help:
If we are to rise above and conquer the depression that threatens to consume us, we must build our hope on something other than ourselves and the shifting wind of circumstances. As the well-known hymn exclaims, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Because of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and resurrection in victory over sin and death, we can take part in His life and His inheritance, now and eternally. If you do not have that assurance of new life and eternal hope, please click here, and begin today to build your hope on nothing less than Jesus.
Once we have that foundation sure and secure, there are some things we can begin doing today that will help to lift that cloud of depression.
We can change our thought-life. We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Well, the same applies to our minds. If we feed on negative thoughts, we will begin to feel negatively. Are you aware of the things you are telling yourself throughout the course of a day? Are you aware of how those negative thoughts are then followed by negative feelings? The world teaches us to trust our feelings most of all, and then all too often our feelings become our truth. We need to, instead, cement the Truth of God in our minds and let His Truth lead us, not our feelings. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7a).
We can seek God’s perspective on the hurts that we have. Take your anger, guilt, unmet needs, and expectations to God and seek His perspective on it. He has something healing and instructive to say about all of it in His Word. Ask Him to help you see things as He does and then find Him to be your strength, comfort, and guide out of the pain.
We can renew our mind with Scripture. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). We are commanded to hide the Word of God in our hearts, so that God’s promises can be recalled at any given moment when our minds, our circumstances, or the enemy try to get us in a negative mindset. We are in a battle for our minds, and often times, during periods of depression, this is even more the case. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it” (Deuteronomy 30:14).
(Additional Scriptures to memorize and meditate on: Psalm 69:1-3; Proverbs 23:7a; John 14:27; Philippians 4:19; Philippians 4:6-8; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 147:3; I Corinthians 1:3-4; I Peter 5:6-7; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 43:2; Isaiah 40:29; Romans 8:38-39)
We can discover, or re-discover, our identity in Christ. God’s Word is overflowing with promises and declarations about who we are as Christians. For example, we are accepted (John 1:12, Colossians 2:9-10), secure (Colossians 3:1-4, 2 Timothy 1:7), and significant (Ephesians 3:12, Philippians 4:13). Knowing that our depression is not our identity and that there is hope is essential.
We can immerse ourselves in studying God’s never-ending love for us. The Bible says that God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and that “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). These truths go a long way in soothing our aching heart and healing us from the wounds of life.
We can develop an attitude of gratitude. It may take practice, or maybe beginning a gratitude journal, but a grateful heart is one of the best ways to see past your circumstances and see the blessings in every day. “Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-20).
We can look at our diets and activity levels throughout the day. Research shows that sugar, for example, in most people can cause the blues. And, although many of us have trouble finding the motivation to workout, exercise releases endorphins that help depression.
(Adapted in part from Victory Over Depression by Bob George)
Long-term hope:
The Bible tells us that God “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” ( 1 Corinthians 1:3-4). Many wise men and women, committed to comforting others through the troubles they have either experienced or watched others experience, have written books that can be of great instruction and consolation to you. Consider checking them out:
If you think that you may need more than the help this article offers you, please contact a caring biblical counselor in your area, so that someone can take you by the hand and walk you through some of the healing hope of God’s Word. Above all else, know that you are not alone. Even in the darkest hours of the night, Jesus is there with you. Resist the temptation by the enemy to devour you in discouragement and isolation. Let others know of your struggle and draw comfort from the body of Christ.
If you would like help locating a counselor in your area, click here.
I’ll Offer My Heart
December 31, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
Each year many of us are enchanted by the idea of making New Year’s resolutions. Whether we strive to lose weight, spend more time with our kids, or patch up that strained relationship, January reveals our highest motivation to try new things and improve on the old. But come December, many of us find that we run out of steam to complete our resolutions somewhere around March. At our church, our worship team leads us in a beautiful song called “The Stand” by Hillsong United. Some of the lyrics include, “What could I say, and what could I do, but offer this heart, Oh God, completely to You?”
And then it hit me. Could one line from a song encapsulate any and every resolution that we might list and hope to check off the following year? What could be more important this coming year than to offer your heart to God? We celebrated his birth during Christmas, and everything it represents-His life, His love for us, and His sacrificial death. Have you offered your heart to God, accepting His gift of eternal life and the Holy Spirit to guide you?
For those of us who have made that initial step of faith, inviting Jesus into our heart as our personal Savior, we know that our relationship with Him does not stop there. It is a good practice to ask ourselves, “Have I surrendered all of my heart, every day? Am I holding anything back from the Lord, or have I offered something to Him that I’ve now revoked?”
Often times, our New Year resolutions are about trying to “fix” things in ourselves that can only come from filling the void with Jesus. Only He can be a perfect fit. Is there anything on your resolutions list that, at its very core, could not be resolved with offering your heart and soul to the Creator God and reestablishing a direct path from your heart to His?
The rest of this inspiring song says this: “I’ll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the one who gave it all. I’ll stand, my soul Lord to you surrendered; all I am is yours.”
What do you need to surrender today and in the coming year? Consider offering your whole heart, surrendering it into the hands of a Savior who has proven trustworthy, and then watch his miraculous power at work in your life.
As One Who Believes
December 25, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
One of our favorite holiday movies as a family is The Polar Express, starring Tom Hanks. It tells the story of a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus and is, therefore, not experiencing the full blessings that the Christmas season can bring. He is unchanged and unaffected by the importance of Christmas because of his doubt. One night, he is whisked away on The Polar Express, a train headed straight for the North Pole, where he meets Santa and his elves, and along with having the adventure of a lifetime, he comes away a believer, forever changed. I’m reminded of a similar story in the gospel of John, chapter 20. Thomas, often labeled “Doubting Thomas,” has just been told about Jesus’ miraculous resurrection and, as much as he wants to believe, he remains, so far, unchanged and unaffected by the power of the resurrected Christ. In verse 25, Thomas says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
So often I find myself shouting into the Bible, “Thomas, believe! He really has risen. His power is real!” But do we not all struggle with doubt just like Thomas at some point in our lives? Do we not say things in the quietness of our minds that reveal our doubts? Jesus, are you even real? Can you really breathe life into this hurting relationship? God, by your power, can you really provide the food and pay the bills when we do not have the money? I don’t know, God. Sure, there are stories in the Bible of your miracles, but what kind of power do you really have in my own, seemingly insignificant, life? I . . . I am just not sure I can believe. . .
Where are you in your belief? Are you like the young boy in the movie or doubting Thomas from the Bible who finds it difficult to believe outside of sight? Are you saddled with unbelief, unaffected by Jesus Christ, the man who was born quietly, died sacrificially, and whom we honor today? Or have you embraced the Savior and therefore, the transforming power of the Christmas story-the baby in the manger, the Christ on the cross, and the Spirit at work in your life? There is something very special about Christmas, but it goes beyond the playful anticipation of Santa Claus and his presents or the parties and eggnog. These are nothing compared to the “surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). There is nothing quite like celebrating Jesus’ birthday as a member of his family, as one who has put his “hope in the living God;” this, “Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”
What kind of Christmas will this be for you-one of doubt, or as one who believes?
Merry Christmas from those of us here at Standing on Truth!
Thanking God for Blindness and Fleas
November 26, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
Helen Keller was a deaf and blind child born in 1880. Despite all of her hardships, she went on to become a college graduate, author and political activist. She also has a very powerful and memorable quote attributed to her: “I thank God for my handicaps for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God.”
Corrie ten Boom was a well known Holocaust survivor who lost both her sister and father in the prison and concentration camps. She is the author of The Hiding Place, and in that excellent book, she writes of reading the New Testament one day with her sister, Betsie, out of view of the prison guards. As they were reading, they came across 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, which says, “pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” She and Betsie then took turns thanking God for their crowded barracks and the annoying fleas.
Fleas? Corrie questioned that. But her sister’s response was this: “Give thanks in all circumstances. . .It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.’”
How do people such as Helen Keller and Corrie ten Boom thank God for their physical disabilities and family loss? How do they thank God for blindness, persecution, and fleas? How do we, as God’s children, stay grateful through the hurt, doubt, and fear of these times-through distressful diagnoses, layoffs, and foreclosures?
Allow me to take advice from author Elizabeth George who said when we face trials and temptations, “acknowledge God’s hand.” Isn’t this what being thankful and grateful is all about during this holiday season? No matter what you face this Thanksgiving, is it possible to parse through the pain and find all that there is to praise about our Lord and acknowledge about His work in our lives? It is in our gratitude that we may be reminded more easily of His many promises to us.
Promises for. . .
Protection (Isaiah 43:1, 2)-”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Provision (Matthew 6:25-34)-”Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Peace (Philippians 4:7)-”And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Purpose (Romans 8:28)-”And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Look for God’s powerful hand in your life. Thank Him for each and every trace of it. Keep a gratitude journal or spend time every day praising Him for all He does for us, and the ways in which he turns our trials into testimonies of His grace. He’s there. He cares. And “with our prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,” the Bible says, He will offer us everything that we need at the perfect time that we need it, so that we also can “consider it all joy,” James says, when we “encounter various trials.”
Footnotes: Philippians 4:6; James 1:2
Alcoholism and My Friend, Robert
November 6, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
This weekend marks a special birthday to me. It would have been the birthday of a long-time friend of mine. He died nearly two years ago of an enlarged heart. He was only 40 years old.
About 14 years ago, I was an aspiring writer whose passion was poetry. I had ventured downtown to an ecclectic coffee shop to observe people, be inspired, and write poem after poem into the late night. I did this often. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who came here for good coffee and inspiration. Robert lived a few streets over in a worn-down apartment building and his only mode of transportation was his own two feet. He walked in to this coffee shop that evening with a sketchpad and his drawing pencils. He literally bounced a little when he walked, he had such a spring in his step. We struck up a conversation and although I’m fairly confident I didn’t share my poetry with him that night (I was rather shy about my work), he showed me his amazing drawings. Although his types of drawings were not what you would consider beautiful or serene (he sketched monsters and villians, much like you would find in a comic book), there was no denying his incredible talent, and the detail he put into each sketch showed an unbelievable patience and skill.
We became good friends from that night on. He spent Thanksgiving with my family one year and we would go to concerts and movies together often. But more often than not we would meet in our favorite coffee spot and talk the night away or attend a poetry slam together. He was a kindred spirit. He was also a man deeply entrenched in alcoholism.
Drinking was the one stable constant in his life–his trusted friend that he turned to more than anything or anyone else. As much as I tried to “rescue” him, I was in school at the time and couldn’t be with him 24 hours a day. He did not have family nearby, and his drinking alienated him from others.
I remember one morning my roommate woke me up at 3am. A nurse from the hospital downtown was on the phone. Robert, in a drunken stupor, has been picked up by the police for stumbling through the streets and falling down, injuring himself. He had requested they call me. I will never forget the drive from the hospital to his apartment that early morning. It was as if I were a priest and Robert were a parishioner. He was confessing, through tears and regret, the secret years of his life that he wasted by drinking, the relationships that were ruined, and the unforgiveable (to him) things he had done during his dances with the drink. I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen a man that broken, that raw, and that honest. Maybe that was a cry for help.
Yet his drinking continued. As a sober man, Robert was sincere, decent, intelligent, and caring. He would give a person the shirt off of his back at the first hint that they needed it. He had a heart of compassion and love. It was painful to watch his nightly drunkenness turn to depression and despair, and in hindsight I myself feel pain when I think of the times I innocently had a drink with him. I know now that I missed many an opportunity, and no doubt simply enabled his behavior.
Although I spoke to him about my faith–he knew that I was saved by grace–and although I let him know that he could be too, Robert was not a believer. After he moved out of state, I sent him a Bible and a clearly outlined salvation message, but in all the years I knew him, I stopped short of knocking down his door, intervening in his life (for his alcoholism) or following up with him as to why he was rejecting Jesus. I can only assume that he continued to deny Jesus the opportunity to come into his life, even up until his life was over. I pray that I’m wrong.
I vacillate between the deep regret that haunts me over what I should have done for Robert, and the small hope that lives inside that maybe, in one of his darker moments, he remembered what I shared with him and made a decision for Christ that saved his eternal life. Nevertheless, there will never be another person that can take the place of Robert in my life, and I hope and pray that there is never another opportunity wasted for me to be bolder for Christ.
And so this weekend, I remember Robert fondly. And I also remember The Great Commission, and recommit myself daily to my purpose in this life.
“Go then and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).
Jesus
October 7, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
JESUS LOVES YOU!
No IFs, ANDs, or BUTs about it!
There was just a nudging in my spirit today that someone needed to hear that.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).
SO, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR DAY ENTAILS, CARRY THIS WITH YOU:
JESUS LOVES YOU!
My Son’s New Life in Christ
September 30, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
We walked into church on Sunday, hearts full of joy. And there it was. The white rose symbolizing our son’s new life in Christ. . .the church, celebrating together a 4 year old’s admission that he was a boy who sinned and needed Jesus’ death on a cross some 2,000 years ago to erase those sins. What began with a question, “How do I go to heaven?” ended with a humble and sincere invitation, “Jesus, come into my heart and help me.”
The lessons taught to me through my child have been endless lately:
Converse with God over the simplest of things.
Give Him credit for something as seemingly mundane as helping you to eat your asparagus.
Sing a praise song to Him that you learned at church. . .but sing it to Him in the middle of the week.
Break into spontaneous prayer when your Mommy has a migraine and you want to help her.
Tell others unashamedly that you have Jesus in your heart.
Ask frequently “What’s God saying to me?”
Give in to the joy that Christ places in your heart and laugh without reservation.
As I’ve started reading through the gospel of John again this week, I came to chapter 3 this morning, as I was preparing to write this post. Here is (not coincidently) what it said:
John 3
1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.“ . . .
31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” (NLT, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203&version=NLT)
Ahhh, grace. . .redemption. . .love. . .relationship. . .belonging. . .family. Isn’t God beautiful to offer this to us, and now I can say it is equally, if not more, beautiful to see it wash over and transform my son whom I love so dearly.
Eyes on the Prize
September 7, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
This weekend, my family and I drove back from a Florida vacation. Our 4-year old was entertained for most of the 12+ hour trip, thanks to a DVD player that our friends loaned us. I had listened to about as many sermons and songs off of my Ipod that I could handle in one day and the view along the highway was nothing to write home about–this particular interstate was definitely more functional than scenic. After the first 6 hours or so passed, I began to feel a bit restless. I had just enjoyed one of the best vacations of my adult life and was filled to the rim with joy and peace, making hours of confinement in our small car feel like a sharp stick in the eye. I was ready to get home, if I must.
Then it hit me. The “going out there” trip was a breeze. Really. I can’t even recall thinking a complaint, and know I never voiced one. On the return trip, I was as antsy as a toddler who has to use the potty. So what was the difference?
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 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 3:13-14).
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).
What was different was my destination–”the prize.” On the drive to Florida, I was anticipating the beach, the ocean, and a week of little responsibility, no work, and a whole lot of sun and family time. I was “straining toward” what was ahead. On the way back home, I was anticipating laundry, the start of a new work week, and the sometimes wearying routine of “life as usual.” Don’t get me wrong. I love my home, and my family and friends here in our hometown. I even love my “life as usual” most days, but there is something magical about the excitement of a vacation and the beauty that we knew awaited us in Florida.
Matthew Henry, in his Concise Commentary on the Bible, says,
“He who runs a race, must never stop short of the end, but press forward as fast as he can; so those who have heaven in their view, must still press forward to it, in holy desires and hopes, and constant endeavours. Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus; through his hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by him. There is no getting to heaven as our home, but by Christ as our Way. . .Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world.”
It’s amazing what we can endure when our eyes are on the prize. If Jesus is our Lord and Savior, our destination is heaven. Plain and simple. He has “prepared a place” for us, as it promises in John 14:1-4: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
So everyday can be as if we had a Florida beach vacation (times one thousand) in our sights!
Henry says, “So those who have heaven in their view, must still press forward to it”. What would our life look like if we had “heaven in our view” every day? What could we accomplish for Jesus? What could we endure as part of the command to “take up your cross” (Mark 8:34)?
I hope that I can make that Florida vacation last all year long, simply by remembering that what awaits me in heaven is exponentially better, and with heaven in my view, I can press on, keeping my eyes on the prize.
The Great Commission
August 5, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
I think I failed to obey God today. Not that I’m sure I do a wonderful job of obeying Him on a daily basis anyway, althouth I try, but this one was rather clear to me as I let my fears and insecurities get in the way of what God wanted me to do.
My son and I were leaving our local food pantry after having dropped something off, and as we were getting into the car and buckling up, I saw a woman sitting down on the curb right next to our car. Her arms were full of bags of food and she looked rather weary. I thought about how tough it must be to not have food in my refrigerator or those common “staple items” in my pantry. . .to not know where the next meal would come from if it were not for this food pantry ministry. And then, I immediately froze.
Let me give you some background here. In the last week, I have read two fiction books by an author I like very much named Terri Blackstock. I picked them up at the library strictly based on the author, not knowing what they were about. They were about evangelism–characters that felt a heavy burden to evangelize every day, many times a day, after receiving a temporary empowering by the Holy Spirit to see people’s “heart needs,” or spiritual needs.
These were the two books I read:
The Heart Reader by Terri Blackstock 
The Gifted by Terri Blackstock
And then you have to know that in my glove compartment of my car, I have several books–books that I’ve stocked up on for the exact purpose of evangelizing. Don’t think anything special of me, because although my desire to reach the world for Christ is bursting at my seams, and I send books and tracks out fairly easily, I have yet to have a face to face discussion about the saving work of Jesus Christ with a stranger I just meet on the street. But I had these books in my car, just waiting for an opportunity to be used:
He Did This Just For You by Max Lucado 
The NIV Gospel of John
Cross-Examination by Lee Strobel 
The 3:16 Promise by Max Lucado
And then you have to know that I felt the Lord speaking strongly to me to go and talk to this woman. . .to share with her the hope that I have and that she too could have. I felt it so strongly that I was motionless in my seat for what seemed like a minute or two, talking to myself about all the “what ifs.” I did manage to open the glove compartment and pull out the books, but one of those “what ifs” grabbed hold of my timid heart and sent me putting the car in drive and heading home instead.
I can’t tell you the disappointment I felt. God does not condemn, so I never felt that from Him, but I also knew that I had missed the exact kind of opportunity that I’d been preparing for and God had provided me.
I say all that to say this.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:35-36).
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8).
So what’s my next action plan. . .a plan to get ready for the next opportunity that I’m given? Next on my reading list is the new Lee Strobel book:
The Unexpected Adventure: Taking Everyday Risks to Talk with People about Jesus
And I’m getting caught up on my recorded “Way of the Master” shows (the show that Kirk Cameron is involved in that teaches how to evangelize). And I am looking into participating in this Christmas outreach program organized by Good News Publishers, detailed at www.goodnewsofchristmas.org. And I’m praying that the Lord will give me another opportunity, and that I won’t fail next time.
I hope these resources encourage you to “go and preach the good news” with passion, love, and confidence.
Death Too Soon
July 20, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
I remember about a year ago hearing quite a bit about a man named Randy Pausch after he appeared on Oprah. He was dying of pancreatic cancer and delivered his “Last Lecture” on her show. I remember being moved to tears as I watched him say goodbye to his children, his wife, and leave them with the most important life lessons that he had learned over his 40-something years.
This past week, I opened an email from my husband. He had found a moving story of a 37-year old woman who was also in the stages of dying from an agressive cancer (initially breast cancer). I began watching her “last lecture,” if you will, and again, I was moved. But Rachel Barkey’s wisdom for the world included one element that Randy Pausch’s did not. . .Jesus.
At the time, I prayed fervently that Mr. Pausch knew Jesus personally during his illness and at his death. I cannot imagine facing a disease that ravages your body and mind and threatens to end your life without also knowing that “this too shall pass” and what awaits is far more extraordinary than anything anyone could imagine on earth. That is why this video from Rachel Barkey is so touching and so important to pass on to family and friends. It is a short 55-minute video and if you do not have time to watch it, even in segments, there is a written transcript available as well (be sure to print off both Part One and Part Two). A short time after this video was recorded, Rachel went home to be with the Lord. I would encourage you to watch her video and hear her words with your heart. Your life may be changed as a result.
Rachel’s website, entitled “Death is Not Dying,” where you can learn more about her and her family, as well as watch the video:
http://deathisnotdying.com/fullvideo/
If you would prefer to read the transcript:
http://www.reviveourhearts.com/radio/roh/today.php?pid=10243
If you are a book lover, check out Rachel’s book list–excellent books by phenomenal authors:
http://deathisnotdying.com/booklist/
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
