Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2020 i Mornings with Jesus

CALL ME LITERAL-MINDED, but I do indeed like to spend my mornings with Jesus, reading a chapter from one of the Gospels while I eat my breakfast. The newspaper sits on the counter, waiting to be devoured, its headlines screaming, “Read me! Read me!” and its articles full of things that are sure to be upsetting, irritating, frightening or sometimes baffling. “News, you’re going to have to wait,” I tell the newspaper or whatever story is popping up on my phone. The news will still be there to be consumed at lunch or the end of the day, and it will probably have changed multiple times by then. By contrast the Good News is eternal. I need to chew on it first. It’s a matter of getting the right perspective.…

THESE DAYS WE’RE ALL BEING swamped by media storms that threaten to flood us with overstimulation and anxiety. Friends accuse me of hiding my head in the sand because I avoid these media storms. They say some version of what the disciples squawked to Jesus: “Do you not care that we are perishing?” But I’m not hiding; I’m following Jesus. I’m following Him to the stern—the most protected, most comfortable part of the boat. Every day I find a place where I’m not bombarded. I say, “Yes!” to simple spiritual comforts that help me ward off the anxiety swirling around me. How wonderful that Jesus was asleep on a cushion! By choosing to move to the back of the boat and lie down, Jesus positioned himself to minimize the storm’s…

WE MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE and lived in it for three years without painting a room or replacing the worn carpet. My husband, Mick, was busy selling real estate, and I was busy writing and promoting books. One day while a friend visited our home, she glanced at the floor and blurted out, “You need new carpet!” My friend was right, but I was taken aback by her remark. When she left my home, I studied the worn carpet and our walls that needed new paint. I made note of our bathrooms that needed new countertops and updated light fixtures. How many more months or years would we go on procrastinating and accepting this drab “landscape,” which was not Jesus’s best for us? Within a week, I purchased new carpet…

AT MY DESK, I JOTTED down a list to organize my work. Scenes waited to be critiqued for my writing group. Chapter fifteen of my work-in-progress novel languished as I figured out the next twist in the story. I needed to write a summary letter for a client whose manuscript I’d edited. And a slew of new emails clamored for a response. When Jesus led me into these various projects, I’d had a clear sense of His calling. But surveying the pending work, my shoulders sagged under the weight. I wanted to hand my list back to Him. Have you ever lost sight of the value or purpose in your efforts? Work can sometimes cloud our vision. As we tackle each task before us, we may lose sight of Jesus…

I LOVE THIS VERSE BECAUSE Peter and John are essentially saying, “We can’t help ourselves. You’ll just have to excuse us. Or kill us or put us in prison or whatever. But we’re not going to hush about Jesus; we can’t.” I can see them holding up their arms. They don’t really understand it either. Just yesterday, they were selling fish. Now they’re running around preaching and proclaiming a revolution—a religion no one’s ever heard of before—the idea that love plus nothing saves you. You don’t have to be Jewish. You don’t have to be a good person. You don’t have to go to church or sacrifice your lambs or offer your firstfruits. Just let yourself be loved. That’s what happened to them. They let Jesus love them. When Peter…

GOOD FRIENDS ARE LIKE YOUR favorite pairs of shoes. You love them all. However, some friends are suited to walk through hailstorms and rain, while other friends are only suited for sunshine and clear skies. Dee, Lynn, Katrina, and Yvette are good friends who stand with me at all times. Dee stood by me as I grieved my father’s death. Lynn gifted me with a collection of writing books to help hone my writing when I could not land a publishing contract. Katrina called me every day to tell corny jokes and speak positive words when I suffered a grim season of depression. Yvette is my childhood friend who never disconnected as we both traversed rocky terrains from elementary school to our adult lives. Yvette is also my friend who…

MY DAD HAD ALREADY BEEN diagnosed with congestive heart failure and had suffered two massive strokes when his doctor diagnosed him with advanced prostate cancer and lung fibrosis. I lived nearly a thousand miles from my parents for most of my adulthood. I visited them whenever possible, but it never seemed enough, especially when Dad was so sick. As the end approached, I prayed and pleaded for the privilege of sitting with him when he entered Jesus’s presence. God said no. I was teaching at a string of women’s conferences in Eastern Europe when Dad died. I wasn’t able to attend his funeral. I felt like my prayers and pleadings had gone unheard—until I remembered Jesus’s situation. Jesus prayed and pleaded to avoid the cross, but God said no. He…

I LOVE TO MAKE “KITCHEN Sink” soup. It’s made from whatever veggies I find in the refrigerator and some chicken broth. Two things are true about it: it’s always delicious, and it never comes out the same. My world as a believer is like that pot of soup. Most of the time I’m scrambling from one errand to another, and I don’t always know what Jesus has planned for me. Just as unexpected ingredients meld together into a delicious meal, I can be surprised at the “who” and “what” He adds into my day. When peace and joy flood those unscheduled moments, I stand in awe of His grace. My faith life isn’t made up solely of church and Bible studies. Though those activities add flavor to my time just…

MY HUSBAND AND I OFTEN create a pro/con list when making an important decision. Is it time to purchase a truck? Should we replace the limping furnace or wait another year? Is it wise to fit a vacation into our schedule and budget? As it is for many others, the pro/con list helps guide decision-making. Seeing the options laid out visually often makes the choice obvious. One or the other column is more heavily weighted. We pray over the list and come to an informed conclusion. The pro/con list even helped me understand a Bible verse that can seem like an impossibility. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2, ESV). Count a trial as a joy? I know I’m not the only…

JESUS COMPLETELY PROVIDES FOR OUR needs. All of them. I stumbled over a reminder of that when rushing across campus during a conference. The terrain made the trek a challenge for my heart, lungs, legs, and the blister forming on my toe. As I pulled my wheeled briefcase to the workshop I was about to teach, I said aloud, “Jesus, I could really use a Band-Aid.” On the sidewalk not three feet in front of me lay a pink Band-Aid. “Wow. That was quick. But I should have been a little more specific, I suppose.” The Band-Aid—used—was stuck to the concrete. I told my class the story as an example both of divine provision and the need to be specific when we pray. From the back of the room, attendees…

AFTER TOILING ALL NIGHT WITH nothing to show for it, Peter and his partners had to wash their nets and stretch them out so they wouldn’t rot. But after Jesus used Peter’s boat as a pulpit while teaching the crowds, He told the experienced fisherman to row out to deep water and lower the nets. This instruction went against Peter’s knowledge and training. In the Sea of Galilee, fishermen went out at night in the shallow water. Peter respectfully expressed doubts about the wisdom of this action, but he did obey Jesus’s command. The nets filled with so many fish they began to tear. Peter called his partners for help. The men loaded both boats so full of fish they almost sank (v. 7). Jesus often asks His followers to…

TWO COUPLES I KNOW RECENTLY went on a cruise. It was the first time the four of them had traveled together. My girlfriends, one of whom turns eighty this year, were laughing when they told me about it. Their favorite part of the trip was that they each had someone to go with them to explore the various ports of call. The guys laughed too when they told me their favorite part: having a buddy to back them up in their decision to hang around on the boat and do nothing for a few hours. My husband and I have a similar dynamic: my idea of wasted time is his idea of a good time. And my urge for adventure often sounds to him a little too much like work.…

THE CHRISTMAS TREE IS DECORATED, and stockings are hung. Carols waft through the air, joining the scent of holiday baking to create a sense of home and love. And giving. Every year, I look forward to this season. I enjoy selecting presents that speak to the loved ones in my life, letting them know how much they mean to me. The gratitude I see in their eyes is priceless. And when I give something that’s especially dear to me, it makes the moment even more precious. This Christmas, hidden among the pile of boxes and bags beneath the tree is a tiny package for my daughter. It’s a gold ring set with a semiprecious stone I gave my mother long ago. Mom wore it for special occasions until she went…

IN THE 1980S, I WAS a FedEx courier, and I would listen to cassettes in my truck as I drove. One of my favorite groups is Take 6, and during the Christmas season I would play their He is Christmas cassette. I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus at the time. One day while I was driving my van and listening to the cassette, “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” started to play. I sang along to the lyrics as I always did, but this time, as I sang the words about Jesus being born to save me, tears started streaming down my cheeks. I felt a rush of love that I never knew existed. I was driving in the middle of nowhere, delivering packages, and a song that I’d sung so…

A FEW YEARS AGO, I was invited to a Christmas party with a group of women who were in a Bible study together. The women were mostly young married professionals, mothers, and all friends except for one new person. Her husband was disabled, and she didn’t work outside the home. She’d shared some of their troubles—financial, physical, and emotional—with the group. We were surprised she made it to the party. And although it was meant for adults only, she had brought along her toddler because she didn’t have a sitter. At the gift exchange, I cringed at the woman’s gift. It seemed naked and exposed in a discount store shopping bag, knotted at the top, and placed among extravagant, glittered boxes and bags with giant bows from specialty stores. In…

SINCE I AM ALWAYS CHASING perfection, I key in on verses like this one that we’re discussing in Sunday school. I begin to imagine myself with no blemishes, no cellulite, and good hair. In my magazine-cover daydream, I am a Pulitzer Prize–winner/supermodel/world-class pianist who never yells at her kids and never fights with her husband. I always make my parents happy. Students beg to be in my classes. I’m not afraid of anything, and I have no regrets. Of course, this is not what the writer was talking about, the Sunday school teacher reminds us. What a buzzkill. The Hebrew word for perfect is more like “complete.” We are made complete in Him. So, whatever is lacking in us is provided in Jesus. We live in wholeness, not scarcity, not…

THERE WAS A SPIRIT OF Christmas cheer in the air but one of my friends felt melancholy. It was her first holiday season without her father. She said, “There was traffic everywhere, so I decided to pass the time in Rockwell last night.” Rockwell is one of the newest malls in the business district. “As I walked through the parking lot, I felt a bit sad as I remembered Father and his harmonica.” The first shop at the mall entrance was a music store which fed her wistful thinking. “I used to frequent that store in search of a Hohner harmonica for Father. Had he been around, I might have gotten him a harmonica for Christmas.” Anyone who has had a loved one pass away knows what my dear friend…

WE MOVED TO FLORIDA JUST two years ago and it’s been impossible to travel to celebrate Christmas with our family up north. Sure, we’ve had lots of family visits throughout the year, but not at Christmas. It’s been kind of hard. And weird. And . . . unexpectedly liberating. We used to make the universal (and exhausting) pilgrimage to various loved ones’ homes in the days around Christmas, celebrating over and over. These past two years, we’ve fumbled to create new traditions and have discovered new joy. Both years, we’ve visited a nearby nursing home to sing Christmas carols and bring treats. We’ve spent time with new friends, including those far from family themselves. We’ve also enjoyed the luxury of not having to do anything at all. Last Christmas Day,…

I WAS VERY POOR GROWING up. I lived in a children’s home and also was in foster care. One important lesson I learned from that struggle was to be generous to the less fortunate. Jesus placed compassion in my heart for others who suffer . . . especially children. When I was a child I received used and broken toys for Christmas. In the unique way that Jesus does things, I am now in charge of a program that provides underprivileged children with new gifts at Christmas. My husband, Clay and I organize volunteers, set up toy drives, and purchase toys. One lady in our community provides Bibles for the children. High school students have gift drives. Firemen, deputies, and a jolly Santa help deliver the toys, and it’s such…

NOW, I CAN SEE MORE clearly how my church journey reflects the seasons of my life. As a new Christian, I found a Bible church with a scholarly pastor who taught Scripture verse by verse, and I faithfully took notes. My husband worked most Sundays, so I immersed myself in Bible-study classes, growing significantly in my Bible knowledge. Soon after, my first son was born, and my husband stopped working weekends. We were led to a small, local, community-oriented, family-friendly mainline church. The intellectual preacher had a varied spiritual background. The Bible studies were less formal. I taught Sunday school. The Bible lessons were simple but instructive. Two years ago, we moved to a more populated area offering many good churches. After praying, visiting, waiting, and sensing an unmistakable prompt…

I LOVE FASHION. I TEND to overdress for most occasions, and friends tease me that I even like to be coordinated when I run. I think this is a combination of my Italian heritage, my mom’s example, a creative temperament, and yes, garden-variety vanity. If my bankroll permitted, I might just be one of those celebrities with a giant dressing-room closet with neatly, color-coded shelves and racks, and an ever-changing wardrobe. Alas, I don’t have that kind of cash but am grateful that my heavenly Daddy loves me and allows me to be richly satisfied with thrift-store finds and discount bargains and dresses I’ve had for twenty years. Usually I can indulge my inner fashionista without fretting. I can pull together a fine outfit quickly, accessories and all. Sometimes, though,…

I TOOK A DEEP BREATH as I walked up to the podium. I was speaking to a group of alumni at the children’s home where I grew up. Jesus, please help me get through this speech without crying. As I looked at the audience, my mind went totally blank. But despite my fear, Jesus gave me the words to speak: “I never thought I would be standing here speaking. Many of us have different memories of growing up here. Our relationship with Jesus affected who we’ve become. Some of us are survivors, others are victims.” My childhood was extremely difficult. My parents separated before I was born and gave me up when I was an infant. I was shuffled between relatives, foster homes, and a children’s home. When I was…

LATELY I HAVE BEEN HAVING some sleeping issues. I keep waking up during the wee morning hours, long before I need to get up for work. My mind starts racing. I worry. I problem-solve. I toss and turn. And finally, exhausted, I get up. The other morning, I woke up at four o’clock, hearing the garbage truck rumbling down our street. Realizing we had forgotten to take out the recycling, I climbed out of bed, pulling on the first pair of shoes I could find. I headed out the door and grabbed the giant recycling can. Tiptoeing down our path to the street, I misjudged my footing, and rolled my ankle. Badly. One second, I was taking out the garbage . . . the next I was lying in our…

RECENTLY I HAD TO MAKE a difficult career decision. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t stepping out of the will of God by trying to escape an arduous assignment for something easier. I prayed, asking Jesus to make the decision for me. Shortly after praying that prayer, I found out that is not how Jesus operates. The choice was mine. But I wanted to make sure I was making the right choice. I didn’t want be thrown into chaos all over again. I was also comfortable in my current position. Was I afraid to leave my familiar surroundings? After much prayer, I decided to stay in my current position. Again I sought the guidance of Jesus, asking Him to close the door on the other option if I was…

MARINES, NAVY SEALS, GREEN BERETS . . . when I think of them, I see heroic, ultrafit freedom fighters. They’re parachuting into the dark to rescue captives and conquer enemies, working as a finely tuned unit as comrades in arms. I’m not an aggressive, physical sort myself, but I love the idea. Recruiting commercials promote this image with rousing music and compelling narration. Inspiring imaginings aside, these elite forces are in fact at the front lines of any battle or mission. To be in this select group, men and women must endure a grueling initiation that weeds out all but the most committed. The soldier is torn down and learns to submit to authority, growing stronger in the process. The result is a soldier who’s fearless, fierce, focused, dedicated to…

IT’S TEMPTING TO THINK THERE’S more to the Christian life than loving people. That there’s more advanced theology in it than that. It’s difficult to understand. More complicated. More confusing. That it’s something we have to study more and argue about and defend. A set of rules to follow. I think all of this is because really, deep down, we’d like to get around it. Love is fun when it’s easy, but the rest of the time, it’s hard, and it’s the hard kind of love Jesus is talking about here. If people are going to recognize us as His disciples by our love, that means they’ll see that we love as He loves. That’s how they’ll know we belong to Him. The most obvious picture of Jesus’s love is…

AS I WRITE THIS, MY treasured business’s future is uncertain, my freelance writing jobs are intermittent, and we’re struggling to make ends meet. Why wouldn’t I worry? Yet Jesus said simply, “Don’t.” In this verse, Jesus pointed out a long list of commonsense reasons not to worry. I’m putting this to the test in a very practical way as I seek Jesus’s direction on my vocation. I’m struggling to keep an open mind and follow where He leads. I’m taking one day at a time, trying hard to ignore my bank balance. Circumstances are forcing me to lean on Jesus more than ever. Having faith doesn’t mean doing nothing, but rather prayerfully doing what I can today and recognizing what I cannot do. When I let go, trust God, and…

MY HEART SANK AS I neared the bridge that would take me to my medical appointment in the city. Hundreds of cars were backed up as traffic inched along. On top of that, the steady rain had turned into a downpour; I could barely see the lights of the car in front of me. Finally I reached the base of the one-and-a-half mile long bridge that rose a hundred and forty feet in the air. Frequent lightning flashed in my eyes, and thunder assaulted my ears. It took me a few minutes to realize that the oldies radio station was playing a classic Bob Dylan song, Like a Rolling Stone. I hit the power button and said out loud, “I am not on my own and I am not unknown.”…

MANY NIGHTS I’VE HAD TROUBLE sleeping. Even when I’m exhausted and desperate for sleep. When I can’t sleep at night, I start tossing and turning, and there’s nothing worse than looking at the clock and seeing the hours roll by. Then I start worrying about how I’m going to feel the next day without having had enough sleep. But this isn’t how Jesus means for us to live. He longs to give us rest. Jesus doesn’t want us to worry. He wants us to talk to Him about our worries. When we pray, we transfer our doubts and fears and worries to the One who can take care of them. Jesus is our endless source of peace and strength. We need rest physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Sleep deprivation can…

MY MATERNAL FAMILY CELEBRATES MOST holidays in my mother’s cozy home. When we gather there, her crowded kitchen bustles with twenty guests or more. They go back and forth, passing plates and clinking serving dishes as everyone engages in lively chatter or family stories that never grow old. Throughout my mother’s home, there are happy faces in the crowd who are not kinfolk. Georgie, Carol, Verna, David, and Maxine attend my mother’s church. By the world’s standards, they are merely our “good friends.” These five friends have gathered in my mother’s home for more than thirty years. Their faces are featured prominently in our family photographs. We enjoy their company completely. They vacation with our family and attend our family reunion. They attend our family birthday parties, school graduations, weddings,…

I AM NOT A PATIENT person, but I know that Jesus is working in me every day. Last night, Jesus showed me a single powerful lesson about how patience and excellence are related. My aunt Shirley, who is my fellow church member and the church secretary, is extremely detail-oriented. Last night after our church leadership meeting, Aunt Shirley and I were driving off when she told me to stop the car. She wasn’t sure if anyone was left in the building. If no one else was there, she would have to go back and turn on the alarm. I told my aunt that more than likely the hospitality workers were still in the church kitchen on the other side of the building, but my aunt wanted to be sure. Impatiently…

I LOVE DECORATING WITH WORDS. Each time I walk by a plaque stamped with an encouraging thought, it gives me a boost. My kitchen wall shouts, Chill . . . God’s Got This. My hallway, hung with a beautiful print of two sparrows perched on either side of a deep red heart, states, We Have Everything We Need. My living room bookcase is topped by four tin letters lit with mini lightbulbs reading . . . hope. H-O-P-E. It is my favorite word because, mid-chaos, it reminds me that Jesus always brings hope to the table. Hope. In Him. And Him alone. The hope of kindness and joy and generosity and miracles. The hope of salvation. For you and me. We are made with the great capacity for hope. Because…

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A STORYTELLER. As a child, I would make up stories to tell my friends, sometimes cobbling together a makeshift costume with dramatic flair. As a mom, I’ve told and retold my kids tales reflecting their interests at the time: trains, dinosaurs, basketball. I even immortalized one by typing it up and may someday publish it. I’m sure my storytelling skills are partly inspired by the many outstanding books I’ve read, but as with everything, I recognize my ability as a gift from the best Storyteller ever. Jesus. Sometimes, before I tell a story, the outline is delivered to my mind in a flash, start to finish. Other times, I’ll begin with a simple prompt and am as curious as my kids are about where the story will…

THE STORY OF THE SHEPHERDS leaving their sheep to go see Jesus fascinates me. Who were these men that an angel of the Lord spoke the Good News to them? They were poor, dirty, and probably unremarkable, at least to society. But they knew how to watch and listen and protect—they were sheepherders, after all. Yet these simple men possessed a powerful sense of discernment. When those triumphant words announcing Jesus’s birth rang out, they knew to trust in that truth. They were terrified but didn’t run or hide. They listened, accepted the responsibility of the knowledge, and then acted on their beliefs. They departed so quickly they left their flocks, their livelihood, behind. And when they’d seen our infant Lord, they spread the word (Luke 2:17). Sometimes, when Jesus…

MY FRIEND CALLED ME WITH terrible news. Her husband’s test results were back, and he had cancer. After I found my voice, I told her how sorry I was. I struggled to find words of encouragement and comfort, feeling useless in the face of the frightening issues she was facing. I could reaffirm what she already knew—that Jesus loved her and would walk this hard road with her. But I longed to offer more. I wanted to be the “hero friend” who had the perfect thing to say to make things better. When we aren’t sure how to support our friends who are hurting, we can follow Jesus’s lead. He always responded to pain with profound love and compassion. As He arrived at Lazarus’s funeral, He manifested that compassion in…

IT’S A HUMBLING REALIZATION TO know that I’m God’s masterpiece made new in Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 also makes me think about the good things He planned for me long ago. Am I doing those good things? Does it mean “good things” in my career, or “good things” in my relationships, or “good things” in the works that I do? After wrestling with these questions I’m pretty sure it means “good things” in all areas of my life. Years ago, after watching news story after news story about young people committing crimes almost on a daily basis, I fell to my knees and asked Jesus how I could make a difference in our community. The answer came to me in a dream—teach. I was surprised. I never wanted to teach because…

AFTER SEVENTEEN YEARS AS A Christian, I’m still looking for a savior. No, not a savior of the spiritual variety. Someone to bail me out, clean up my mess, tell me what to do. Not mere help. Rescue. At times, I’ve cast my husband, a friend, or a family member in this role, straining our bonds. Other times, I’ve sought someone else—for pay or for pity. Or some codependent fixer finds me. Over and over, my spirits are buoyed with the false hope of salvation from whatever or whomever. I think, Finally a rescuer! Now I can let go! Inevitably the miscast messiah disappoints. I bail. They bail. The problem remains. In John 16:7, Jesus tells us He’s sending the Holy Spirit, an advocate or helper, among other roles. Isaiah…

MY SISTER, WHO LIVES NEXT door, is a bit of an alarmist. I can’t tell you the times she’s called me, panicked she’s poisoned our children because she found them munching toothpaste, afraid they’ve been kidnapped only to find them hiding in the closet, or worried because I let them play with balloons or eat hard candy or didn’t cut up their grapes tiny enough—all of which, according to her, constitute high-risk choking hazards. The problem is you never know when it could be something serious. What if, for example, one out of the ten times she calls, there actually is an emergency? This question plagued me one Christmas when I was home with two babies in the bathtub. “Get over here!” Rene was literally crying. “It’s Madeline! There’s a…

LIFE WAS FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT FOR our family when we were growing up. My youngest sister remembers a time when she arrived home from school, starving, but found no food anywhere in the house. With nothing to satisfy her hunger, she decided to sleep. She was wakened by a visit from our eldest sister who lived in another part of town. Much to our youngest sibling’s delight, our older sister invited her to eat at a nearby noodle house. Our youngest sister is now working and earning on her own. She often has extra money to treat our parents, nieces, and nephews to lunch or dinner. She remembers how hard it was to be hungry and how her hunger was satisfied through the kindness of a sister. Now she’s paying it…

MY AUNT DOT LIVES TO help others. She volunteers her time in nursing homes, supplies toiletries to homeless shelters, and decorates the church for Sunday services. She seldom recruits others to help her. But one Christmas, Aunt Dot decided that our family should band together and use the holiday to feed senior citizens in a local Meals on Wheels program. She contacted all her nieces and nephews via email. And while it was the coldest winter ever— everyone participated. We bundled up and hit the road. My husband and I had just purchased a new sports utility vehicle. It was perfect for transporting the large coolers and insulated bags filled with food. As he drove to several homes, it was my task to hop from the car, knock on the…

IT WASN’T ON MY NUTRITION list for the day, but I ordered a s’mores cappuccino after my fasting blood work. S’mores. I mean, the word on the sign was enough to convince me. It’s been said that the average millennial spends more on coffee annually than he or she puts away for retirement. Sounds shocking, until you stop to think about twentysomethings fifty years ago. They weren’t investing in s’mores cappuccinos, but many probably weren’t planning for retirement. Those who reached the future without a solid retirement income now live with daily regret. Jesus often asked His followers to consider the days to come. Matthew 24 and 25 record one long message from Jesus about preparing for the future. He repeatedly encourages us to plan ahead, to stay alert, to…

MY FAVORITE MOVIE, ANNE OF Green Gables, has a great line: “Tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes in it!” Sometimes I share that with my students at the beginning of a new semester. It’s a great feeling to start with a clean slate. Making us new is what Jesus is all about. This is the theme of the Christian story—redemption. Rising from ashes. Over and over again. From His perspective, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past year, what mistakes we made or problems we faced. Those things don’t define us in His eyes. What matters is the new thing He’s doing today. I’m sure you’ve seen the caricatures of the old and new year. The year that is ending is always pictured as an old man, stooped, haggard,…

IT WAS COLD AND FOGGY that first week of November in Germany. I was visiting my aunt and uncle, and they were eager to give me a tour of the popular spots. They wanted me to experience a Rhine River cruise, but cruises were suspended because of the fog. My aunt and uncle decided we would take the train from Frankfurt to Mainz and then transfer to another train going to Koblenz. “Let’s try our luck and see if the fog vanishes,” my uncle said. If it did, there would be a chance for us to get an amazing view of the river from the train. I had seen photos of the wonderful scenes along the Rhine River. I wanted to see the castles and vineyards along the mountain slopes,…

I DON’T ALWAYS AGREE WITH the decisions and policies that our government officials enact. I’m not always pleased with the results of our elections. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the wonderful privilege of living in the United States. We enjoy liberties that people in many other countries long for but have never known in their lifetime. Despite our nation’s shortcomings and problems, we have much to celebrate. In New Testament times, the nation of Israel was ruled by Rome. The people suffered from tyranny and unfair treatment. As the promised Messiah, Jesus did not set Israel free from oppression, which confused many of His followers. He did, however, set Mary Magdalene free from evil spirits. He freed the woman at the well from guilt over a shameful past.…

YESTERDAY, AT THE FUNERAL OF a member of our church, I heard these verses from our Bible in an entirely new way. Kathy—whose funeral it was—was known to all of us because every Easter she would read the story of the seven days of creation. Kathy was blind, and for close to two decades she would proclaim this story on Holy Saturday. She read it in braille, as the congregation sat listening in semidarkness from the pews. At her funeral, we had a bit of a shock: as we settled in to hear the first reading, we were greeted by Kathy’s voice, clear as day, proclaiming to us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...”(Genesis 1:1, NIV). Apparently the pastor had recorded Kathy last Easter, so we…

MY FATHER ABANDONED OUR FAMILY when I was in grade school. Mother and I returned home from church one Sunday to find his clothes gone. As a child, I was angry with my father. As an adult, I offered him compassion and forgiveness. He was a Vietnam War veteran who had witnessed death on the battlefield. He had returned from war with ripped limbs and a body riddled with shrapnel wounds. Church folks sing “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” I don’t know what my father saw in war or just how deeply the experience left him broken. In his absence, I know that my mother and I lived a quiet life filled with love. And without my father’s salary, the two of us learned to lean on Jesus as…

LAST WEEKEND, MY HUSBAND AND I hiked a small section of the Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota. It was late autumn, so the maple forests had already shed their leaves, which added a new challenge to our hike. The underbrush had died, and the surrounding land was coated with the same carpet of leaves, so everything looked like a path. When we live in a culture where so many claim to have answers for us, it can be difficult to discern the true path. The deceptions come not only from false religions or obvious cult leaders who claim to be a messiah. Many systems of thought can “come in His name,” claiming to be compatible with the way of Jesus, even when they are not. Pursuing material wealth, chasing…

JESUS’S HEALING POWER IS REAL! I’m reminded of that every time I see commercials for fibromyalgia medication. Years ago, I was diagnosed with that disorder which causes pain in the muscles and bones. Fibromyalgia also caused me to have insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, and extreme fatigue. The pain was so debilitating I was forced to leave my job where I was required to lift heavy packages. While waiting in the doctor’s office one day, I picked up a Christian magazine. Some of the articles were written by people with various illnesses who were thanking Jesus for entrusting them with the burden of chronic pain. I shared what I read with my ex-mother-in-law and she encouraged me instead to find healing Scriptures and pray them back to God, asking Him to…

ALONG WITH BEING STILL, REST is a theme Jesus has brought to my attention this past year. (Have you found Jesus is always seeking to teach you something?) The way Jesus’s loving intent has come to light is the intersection of my desperate need for rest and a bevy of messengers repeatedly urging me to “rest.” Stillness and rest, I’m finding, are not the same thing but are close cousins. In my case, the call to stillness came first. I had to carve out time to be still to hear and fully understand the invitation to rest. In my case, rest is not about spending more time relaxing or having fun. It’s a state of mind that informs my very being. Rest means that no matter what’s going on, I’m…

I SHRIEKED AT THE SIGHT of my first white hair. But mirrors don’t lie—there it was, a single strand of white amid my dark hair! At first, I was in a state of denial, because for several years prior people kept telling me I looked younger than my age. But lately the reality checks keep coming in different ways. Along with more gray hair and crow’s-feet, I now have to wear reading glasses. I’ve accepted the fact that I’m growing old, but I still want to grow old gracefully. I dye my hair, apply moisturizer to my face, and take multivitamins. But I don’t spend money on expensive products and procedures that promise a youthful look. Sometimes I make homemade beauty products with ingredients from my kitchen, like coffee body…

I LEFT HOME FOR A college that was three hundred miles away. For a student who never learned to write research papers, that first semester was a disaster. My college composition teacher littered my papers in red ink and gave me failing grades. I wanted to improve, but the professor did not offer me proper writing instructions. Over Thanksgiving break, I packed my dorm room, returned home, and told my mother that I was transferring. I was going to complete my education at the state college in town. Returning home made me feel like a failure—especially when I considered the time and cost of tuition I wasted. Today, I don’t regret that experience. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good to them that love God” (KJV). I understand…

MY SON AND HIS WIFE were expecting their third child close to Christmas. Big sister and brother seemed excited about the coming baby but a little uneasy about the change the birth would bring. Our five-year-old granddaughter asked her parents if they would love her less once the new baby arrived. As we gathered around the Advent wreath in the living room, our son helped his daughter with an object lesson. He lit the first candle. “Your mommy and I love each other. This flame is like that love. Then we had you.” He lit the second candle. “That didn’t take away the light from the first candle, it added more. Then we had your brother.” He lit another candle. “Did that take away any love from you? Of course…

ONE THING ABOUT CHRISTIANITY THAT keeps me coming back for more: God with us. It’s even what Jesus’s name means: “Emmanuel.” Who can resist a God who became human to be with us? What a mind-blowing concept. In my World Literature class, we read all kinds of sacred texts. Some texts use descriptive words about God that are similar to those found in the Bible. There is a plethora of images of a majestic being, a creator, a powerful authority figure. But the similarities end when we get to the idea of Jesus—the Almighty One—who chooses to laugh and cry, feel pain, and get dirt under His fingernails. Louisa May Alcott said, “I don’t want a religion that I put away with my Sunday clothes. I want something to see…

WE’D SPENT THE MORNING UNPACKING holiday decorations and hanging them on the tree. As I stepped back to view the finished product, memories warmed me from the inside out. My husband and I exchanged smiles. It was time to set up the crèche—our favorite way to welcome Christmas. Our nativity is extensive, made up of close to thirty pieces. One by one, we unwrapped the white porcelain forms, placing them in a rough arrangement. We had more than half of the boxes emptied when I began to worry. I didn’t see the container holding baby Jesus anywhere. I pushed the collector’s boxes back and forth, searching. “Where’s the Holy Child?” Panic tinged my voice. My husband pointed to a coffee table where he’d set the piece aside. I blinked and…

I READ THE BIBLE EACH morning. God’s Word supplies me with wisdom and encouragement throughout my day. For a time, I understood Bible reading as a ritual that only fortified my spiritual growth; a personal pursuit that benefited only me. But I learned otherwise when a friend called me in a panic: her daughter, a recent college graduate, wanted to travel around the world for a year. I asked Jesus to give me a Scripture of encouragement. Proverbs 22:6 bubbled up in my soul, and I shared it. The Message Bible translation says, “Point your kids in the right direction—when they’re old they won’t be lost.” I reminded my friend that she had raised her child under the banner of Christ and in the admonition of the Lord. As a…

SINCE MOVING TO FLORIDA, I’VE relied on my phone’s navigation app more than ever. Yet even with a watchful satellite and Siri’s smooth-toned guidance, I can get really turned around. Throw in a detour or side trip and getting where I’m headed becomes even more complicated. Thank God for . . . um . . . grace? Stay with me. Visiting a new friend’s house for coffee recently, I was distracted by my own thoughts and took a wrong turn. Siri patiently redirected. A few turns later there was a detour, so I took another uncharted turn. Again, Siri quickly and calmly rerouted me. No shaming tone. No exasperated correction. Just a gentle course correction. Moments later, I pulled into my friend’s driveway safe and sound, right on time. Jesus…

THE DOORBELL RANG AT 10:00 a.m. Monday. I’d been busy for four hours already, unpacking boxes after moving over the weekend, and I knew many hours of work lay ahead. The thought of entertaining an unexpected guest held no appeal. My lack of enthusiasm for company changed to delight when I opened the door and saw Larry, my Sunday school teacher, standing there. He grinned. “I’m at your service,” he said. “I read your Facebook post about unpacking, and I thought you could use some help. Put me to work.” Besides his willingness to lend a hand, Larry brought gifts—a pair of rubber gloves for cleaning, and a roasted chicken. “I figured you might be able to use this for dinner tonight,” he said as he handed me the bird.…

WHENEVER I VISIT MY MOM, I love it when I can attend Sunday services with her. The minute I walk into the small country church, memories flood my mind. On the last visit, I remembered the time I sang a special duet with the only other girl my age in the congregation. Elaine and I both wore homemade white summer dresses with sky-blue sashes around our waists. I don’t recall what we sang, but I clearly remember what happened after service. When I walked by, the pastor bent down and said, “Why, Dianne, I didn’t know you could sing like that!” I hesitated a moment, and as usual, said the first thing that popped into my head: “I didn’t either.” Everyone burst out laughing as though I’d told a joke.…

ONE DECEMBER OUR YOUTH PASTOR paid a visit to a church member who’d been hospitalized. As James neared the patient’s room, another door at the far end of the hallway opened and a man rushed out. This man ran down the hall, shouting at the top of his lungs, “She’s all right! She’s all right!” He stopped in front of James, grabbed his shoulders, and repeated his message. Then he continued shouting. Pastor James never learned the details of this stranger’s situation. But it was obvious the man had good news that he wanted to share with everyone. How appropriate that this scenario played out in December, a season when we celebrate the words of an angel to shepherds announcing that the Savior of the world had been born: “I…

EVERY YEAR, JUST FOR FUN, my daughter and son-in-law give me a new toy. I’ve received water pistols, kaleidoscopes, and paints. These small gifts keep the wonder inside me alive. This year my present was a bottle of bubbles—the kind with a wand you blow through. As I watch those translucent orbs float through the air, I’m able to see my surroundings through the fresh eyes of a child. For a few moments, I regain the ability to look at everything as if for the first time. The thrill of Jesus’s creation fills me with a bright perspective. Jesus loved children. As the creator of all things (John 1:3), He understood their spark of excitement as they encountered new experiences in daily life. The innocence and exuberance kids show over…

RESTAURANTS ARE SUCH GOOD ENVIRONMENTS for book research . . . and for unintentional eavesdropping, which are sometimes one and the same. My sisters and I enjoyed a rare “all three of us” lunch not long ago. That day, as we looked at our menus, I overheard the woman at the table behind us tell the waitress, “I’ll have a piece of Dutch apple pie . . . and a diet cola.” Decadent dessert . . . and a diet drink. It struck me as funny. And then it didn’t. My heart was quickened by how often I choose a similar combo. I couple my prayer with a complaint. I finish off my expression of gratitude to Jesus with a chaser of a request. I’m in the middle of a…

DO YOU EVER HAVE DAYS where life feels like a rollercoaster? Today my granddaughter drew me a picture, and my heart soared. Later someone said something unkind and my spirits slumped. A reader emailed me to tell me they appreciated one of my novels, and I felt joyous fulfillment. Then projects came up, and I felt hassled and stressed. Shifting sand is a good description for my emotions on any given day. A beloved hymn says, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.” In Jesus’s parable, He compares a man who builds a house on rock to one who builds with no strong foundation. When I build my life on the approval of others or even my own self-esteem, I can structure a fine…

Every attempt has been made to credit the sources of copyrighted material used in this book. If any such acknowledgment has been inadvertently omitted or miscredited, receipt of such information would be appreciated. Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from The Amplified Bible and The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved. Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org Scripture quotations marked (ERV) are taken from Easy-to-Read Version Bible. Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked…