The Battlefield

On vacation, I rambled down trails that led me through forests and fields teaming with the stories of historic events of a Revolutionary war battle. I pondered the bloody accounts of the Guilford Courthouse battle of 1781 while my mind’s eye strained to picture the events. March 17, 1871 the woods were filled with shouts of battle commands, the pounding of feet accompanied by explosion of black powder rifles and canons. That day the battle was gruesome. Today we enjoy the freedom bought with the blood that was shed in the Revolutionary war.

I finished my time at this National Monument with a tour through the museum. I was pleased to see that they had a movie of a reenactment of that battle. As I entered the empty movie theater my thoughts immediately turned to the horrific events of this last weekend in Aurora Colorado. Why was it that now my mind’s eye had absolutely no problem seeing? I could easily picture how the events of that midnight showing of Batman went and a shiver of fear shook through me for a moment.

 Here I was walking in to see a movie about a battle and was vividly reminded that we fight a battle too. The enemy in 1781 could be seen and heard. It was easy for the soldiers to see when to fire their weapons and in what direction. We do not have it that easy. Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against spiritual forces.(Eph 6:12) Our enemy wants to strike fear in our hearts. Our God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7) Our enemy wants us to be anxious and worry about the future. God knows what the future holds and asks us to not be anxious concerning what we should eat or drink… for your Father knows that you need them. We live in a tug-of-war for our hearts. My daughter Beth had a wonderful picture that spoke  her resistance to our enemy. Whenever she felt him whispering fear into her ear, she would hold up her hand and say with authority, “Talk to the hand because the heart’s not listening!” The instruction from our “General” is to “Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) That is what Beth was doing.

This world can be a frightening place to live right now. God wants to give us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Satan wants us to live in fear. God wants us to submit to him and resist the devil. When you have trusted Christ as you savior, then you can rest in God’s love with the knowledge that, “Greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world.” The battle is the Lord’s.

What battle are you fighting today? Have you asked God to join you in that fight?

Out of sight

Yesterday as I conversed with friends on FB a picture was posted of a magnificent sunburst. A small but dark cloud was low in the sky and the sun was beginning to dip toward the western horizon. The sun became hidden by the cloud. It truly wasn’t hidden for the bright rays sprayed out from behind the cloud creating a magnificent beginning to a sunset. We could not see the sun but we saw the evidence of it.

What about those times when the evening sky is completely blanketed by storm clouds? Do we question the sun’s presence? No not at all. We see the evidence it is still on our side of the earth. During the very young years of raising children I would need to explain where the sun goes when it becomes night. By experience and knowledge we know that the sun will rise just as we know spring follows the long winter.

With all this evidence in God’s creation of the presence of things hidden from view why is it so hard for us to accept that when God feels absent does not mean he is not there? In Psalm 42:6 David speaks of this very thing. “My soul is downcast within me, therefore I will remember you.” When I am sad, grieving or troubled my soul feels heavy, I guess David would call that downcast. It is then that is it most important for me to dig into the archives of my mind and remember all that God has done in the past. I need to remember his faithfulness and all the times he promises in his word that he would never leave me or forsake me. Just as the sun can be hidden from view whether by clouds or night doesn’t mean it is not there.

When my life is shrouded by dense clouds which are pouring down torrential rain and I am being tossed around by destructive wind I need to take the time to remember God is still with me. The noise of the storm and anxiety within me makes it had to “feel” him there. This does not change that he is still there. Habakkuk had a great handle on this:

 “Though the fig tree does not bud, though the crops produce no food…

 I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior.” 

I need to constantly remind myself that God is God but he is also my loving father. He is always present and all knowing so nothing escapes him. He paints a beautiful sunset for me every night and blankets me with his love. Even though some nights the sunset beauty is hidden from my sight by physical clouds or by emotional storms He is still there. The evidence is there and my part is to rest in that reality and bathe in his faithfulness.

“By day the Lord directs his love,

at night his song is with me –

a prayer to the God of my life.”

Psalm 42:8



Whose in your boat?

WEST BAY STORM                                                                                            

In June I was sailing with my Ohio family on Lake Erie. Arriving on Kelly’s Island with dense haze on the north horizon, we docked for lunch at West Bay Inn. The lunch was a definite Lake Erie lunch, a Perch sandwich for each of us. It was a hit. We took our time enjoying the company of one another since we only get to do this a couple times a year. When the time came to head out, we looked to the north where we saw the clouds hovered low, ominously dark, and foreboding. The top layer was rolling up and over the bottom. We knew that the water was no place to be. Sue, my sister-in-law who has had experience with tornados and water spouts turned an about face and headed back to the bar to hunker-down for the duration of the storm no matter how long it took. There was no way she was leaving this island until the storm had past. Honestly, I agreed with her and walked myself back to the bar to ask for a refill on my ice tea.

Our husbands headed down the dock to 'batten down the hatches' and take the dog for one last walk before relegating him to the cabin of the boat for the storm since he was not welcome in the cafe'. As they stepped back onto the dock the wind kicked up suddenly and began tossing plastic cups and picnic umbrellas around the patio of the cafe'. I helped chase down the stray items and tie up the remaining umbrellas before taking shelter myself. I was not quite ready to take cover inside the building but I did occupy a table on the covered patio and waited for the boys.

While I sat, I breathed in the sights, sounds and smells of this storm. My thoughts wandered back in history and focused on the story of the disciples crossing Lake Galilee with a storm whipping up and Jesus asleep in the boat. The disciples scurried about stowing the cushions and reefing the sail fearful of what was coming. They had experienced many terrible storms on this lake and knew what it was capable of producing. They trembled at the thought. Jesus was unfazed and still asleep. Was he comatose? He had to be, for between the gathering of the nets, putting on life jackets and keeping an ear on the weather radio alerts how could he sleep?? He had to wake up! Didn't he know by the activity around him that all hands were needed to avert a disaster? “Master, Master, we’re going to drown” someone yells above the sounds of flapping sails and pounding waves. Finally He awakens but he is calm and unshaken by the wind, waves, and darkening clouds of impending doom. What could he know that these fishermen didn't? Jesus exuded peace while they exuded fear. They were sure they were going to drown. They were fisherman; they knew from experience that this was a storm to fear! Before their very eyes Jesus got up and spoke directly to the winds and waves and they obeyed him. It became completely calm. “Where is your faith?” Jesus calmly asks them.

Our storm on Kelly’s Island passed and we began our tedious sail against the winds back to the marina. The thoughts of the Sea of Galilee were still swimming in my head. When have I doubted Jesus’ commitment to me, questioned his love, and forgotten his faithfulness? The disciples had seen the widow’s son brought to life, the Centurion’s daughter healed and heard God’s voice at Jesus’ baptism. In the middle of the storm overwhelmed with fear, they forgot.

Is your life a tumultuous storm? Does past experience tell you it is time to “be afraid”? The world news reports tell us to “be afraid”. The economic reports and maybe even our own economic situation says “be afraid”. Jesus is not tied by time or space. He knows what lies behind and what lies ahead. Not only what lies ahead tomorrow or next year but for eternity and that is a heck of a lot longer than one life here. Our part is to listen, rest in his arms and follow his lead. 

As his beloved children we need to take inventory. Is Jesus in our boat? Is he afraid? Do we trust him no matter what? He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Even the wind and waves obey him. What storm in your life do you need to give him control of?

Stream of life

I was taking my grandkids on a hike today and we walked along a stream. It was so refreshing listening to the bubbling and gurgling of the water as it rushed past. My grandkids age 8, 6, and 4 were drawn back to the stream  every time the trail took us past a rock beach near enough for them to stoop down and put their hands into the cool spring runoff water. Some flowers were dropped in and suddenly became boats racing out of their sight then swept into an eddie swirling around almost stopping then rushing on to the next branch or rock before slowing it's pace.

How often are we like that flower rushing about just doing. Our lists getting longer and longer and the "To Do's" never getting all done. We ask one another "how are you doing?"  Do we really take the time to find out how they really are, to listen to the struggles and joys they are experiencing? Are we taking the time to be friends, to be community, to be family? Our society puts a heavy emphasis on the busyness, the doing to show our importance. We need to put on the brakes sometimes and stop the doing and start being. We are human beings not human doings.

The stream we followed had it's places where it was rushing but then there also were times that were broad, shallow and slower. That is were the life is, the minnows, water bugs and water flowers. Because of the demands of life we need to rush from time to time but real life is in the slow, restful places. Take time and smell the roses, time to show a four year old a spider web and invite God to bring more life into your time.

Are you prepared??

ARE YOU PREPARED??

Sitting out on my deck watching the kids across the street play volleyball and enjoy the evening mountain breeze I set out to so some fine tune editing of the first chapter in my Teen Grief Handbook. I worked diligently on it for many hours and made a lot of progress. Watching the sky turn he fluffy white clouds transparent hues of pinks and oranges while the sun bit me good bye I felt satisfied with the amount I had accomplished.  I gathered up my laptop and glass of tea then headed inside in need of some distraction to quiet my mind.

 I watched a bit of TV and checked my Facebook. It was then that the destructive thoughts began to enter my mind, “Who do you think will ever publish that handbook?” “No one knows who you are, first time authors rarely get published on the first go around.” I was bombarded with bullet after bullet shooting holes in my passion.  All I want to do is help teens to grieve in a healthier way so they can move forward and live well knowing Christ is the light in their darkness. All I have is my passion and now I was feeling it being attacked.

I was up for hours allowing this attack to continue, why I do not know. I was blind to what was truly happening. My enemy, those spiritual forces that battle against us was doing his best to discourage me enough for my writing to stop. I finally was able to coax my mind to sleep. When I rolled out of bed in the morning God not only opened my eyes to the daylight outside but he also opened the eyes of my heart to see what had happened only 8 hours earlier. I felt so foolish, how could I be so blind, so accepting of the lies? I thought I was prepared for such an attack. I found that by being tired I had allowed my armor to slip and some of those flaming arrows to find their way to the soft spot of my passion.

This was an excellent education that revealed to me some of my weak areas.  In response to this education I have sought out more earnestly how God sees me. I refreshed my mind with verses that gave me a clear view of where God is leading me. I put my eyes directly on Jesus and the goal he has set before me, I press on.

As we prepare for the She Speaks conference whether for the speaker or writers track keep in mind that we have an enemy who does not want us to even attend. His focus is to defeat us even before we start. Learn from my mistake and do not let your armor slip. BE prepared, BE aware of his schemes, BE armed solidly with the armor of God and full knowledge of who we are in Christ. We are daughters of the king whom He delights in. You are dearly loved!!

Cari