My Mother's Legacy

My mother passed away twelve days ago at the age of 90. Like some of you, I always said that I didn’t want to be like my mother. I lived with her weaknesses, and strengths aren’t always evident to those who live up close. But time brings perspective, and I now identify much to learn from her life.

A Prayer for a New Year

Instead of making resolutions which I can never keep, I am asking God to do some things in my life this year:

Growing in Prayer this Year

When I led women’s ministries in churches, the position of prayer coordinator was often difficult to fill. Most of us (and I include myself here) have a mental image of the ideal pray-er, and we are aware of our own inadequacies. The women I approached often expressed their surprise at being asked to shoulder such a responsibility and their belief that almost anyone else would be better equipped for the role.

What is it about prayer that makes us feel so inadequate? What steps can we take to move forward?

Holding onto Hope in the Midst of Broken Reality

Life is tough; we face problems in relationships, careers, families, finances, and every other situation involved in living on this broken planet. God calls us to have hope and joy despite such challenges, even while we grieve and suffer and hurt. I am particularly challenged in the practicalities of having hope and believing that God can make the broken whole while at the same time not let it cut me right now. 

Maybe you relate. Perhaps your marriage is broken and your spouse has filed for divorce. Do you fight it or do you protect your future and what is rightfully yours? When do you simply accept a new reality and move forward? It could be that you have a life-threatening illness. Do you continue praying for healing when the treatment is failing or prepare your family for your death? How does hope work with the reality of life’s brokenness? How do we continue to trust God and show deep faith when reality suggests otherwise?

Remembering 9/11

We all know exactly where we were when we first heard or saw the pictures of the smoking Twin Towers on September 11. I was about to head to work at the church when my husband called me and told me to turn on the television. I sat there in stunned silence barely comprehending what had happened; it seemed so surreal.

Several weeks later we flew to New England to see the beauty of the fall leaves. Everywhere we went, American flags were flying—on porches, barns, shops, restaurants, and fences. America was united by the threat of those who seek to destroy our people, our land, our faith, and our freedoms.

During my lifetime, I never recall another point when America sought God as we did then. The tragedy resulted in higher numbers of people in church and in prayer. When life is clearly out of our control—whether from sickness or disaster or war—we realize how much we depend upon God, our only hope for peace and protection and comfort.

What are my takeaways on the 10^th anniversary?

Seeking and Knocking

I find myself doing a lot of waiting on God these days. For the past year I have been transitioning from my job to something else—not quite sure what. I have finished the book that I set out to write, but I wait to know what to do with it. I have speaking engagements on the spring calendar while I wait for direction as to what to say. More income would be very nice as we face retirement years so I wait for opportunities.

What do we do during a time of waiting?

Friends--Unique Gifts from God

Do you love fresh flowers? One of my favorites is a gardenia, not because of its beauty but because of its delicious fragrance. I could easily pick one out if given a blind smell test of a number of flowers. Of course for their beauty, roses can hardly be beat. I look forward to receiving a dozen red ones from my husband each year for our anniversary. Each type of flower provides a unique gift to the person who enjoys it.

Recently I have been thinking about various people whom I know. I see each one as a unique gift from God—family, friends, co-workers, fellow believers.

How are you a gift to your friends? What gifts do they bring into your life?

Strength for the Storm

Last night we experienced storms in our area—much needed storms! I am not sure how much rain we had, but our crepe myrtles were victims of the downpour. After my husband’s extensive trimming last winter, they developed a large number of new limbs that grew long rather than thick. Two dozen or more of these weak branches broke off last night from the weight of the rain.

Some time ago I encountered a storm in my personal life that would have broken me if I had not been strong enough to weather it. Without knowing what was coming, I had the support needed to persevere through the difficulties. How did that happen?

Encouraging Words that Don't Encourage

Have people ever tried to encourage you but missed the mark, perhaps leaving you less encouraged?

Last week my book was rejected by a major publisher. Although I knew it was a longshot, deep inside I hoped that God would move them to accept it. Christian publishing is in crisis, and few publishers risk new authors without a built-in following (mega-church pastor, blogger with thousands of readers). My faith knows that God can overcome such obstacles but trusts his plan. His greater will is that I look like Jesus, perhaps involving a lot of rejections.

After receiving the news, I contacted people who have prayed with me about the book. Their responses varied, but my favorite was “Oh pooh!” When we experience disappointment, pain, or loss, it is validating when others mirror our feelings. Expressions of sorrow and disappointment were salve to my wounds.

Although I appreciate every heart-felt response, some of them weren’t quite as uplifting as intended. (My disappointment was minor compared to true hardships, but similar comments either encourage or not.) What kinds of remarks were less than encouraging?

Discouragement--the Dream Killer

Sometimes it’s just one of those weeks. You know what I mean—the ones when everything goes wrong and we begin to wonder if we are even supposed to be where we are, doing what we are doing. Life doesn’t go as expected, and we aren’t the people we should be. Maybe it’s time to give up on ministry, to quit trying to love that difficult person, or to ________. (Fill in your situation.)

This week has left me discouraged. Do I give up on the dream to put my leadership material in book form?  I have experienced disappointment on two fronts: my failure to love someone as Christ would and my inability to see much fruit from my time and efforts. I feel like God could better use someone else—someone who doesn’t hurt others, someone with name recognition.