Can Anyone See The Difference?

This is a picture of my dad taken many years ago.
He died in 2000 and I miss him like crazy.

But that is not what my blog is about.

This blog is about his beard.
Can you see it?
When I was growing up, my daddy always had that beard.

There is a family story that I believe to be true, though I don't remember it myself. One day, my dad decided to shave off his beard. He went into the bathroom, lathered up, took out his straight razor and a few minutes later, it was gone.

At the time, my brother, Daniel was not very old. My dad came out of the bathroom. Daniel saw my dad for what very well could have been the first time without a beard and he stopped in his tracks. He knew immediately that something was very different.

The words Daniel spoke are what I find humorous.

He said, "Dad, can I take you to school for show and tell?"

That just makes me giggle. But it also makes me think. Why did Daniel want to take Dad to school? Because he looked so very different. So different that it was worthy of showing him off in one of Daniel's rare turns to bring an item from home for show and tell.

Sometimes I think about my own life and the way I live it and I wonder if it is show and tell worthy. Is my life different enough in Christ that people stop in their tracks and wonder what is so different about that lady? Do they see God's love, mercy and joy?

Do you know the verse known as "the great commission?"

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Matthew 28:19

There are three verbs in there. Go. Make. Baptize. When I was in college, I got a little stuck on the go part. Evangelizing was something that you went out to do. We would go to the snack bar, go door to door in dorms, go do surveys on campus, and even go to other countries. This was all very good.

Later, however, I learned that in the original language, the verse reads a little closer to this, "Therefore, as you are going, make disciples..." This has really made a difference in how I think about sharing the truth of God's word with others. I still need to be intentional in my going and in my speech, but I also know that the way I live my life every moment is a testimony to the work God is doing in me.

So, what's the conclusion?

You don't need to shave your beard.

I know. You don't have a beard. That's good.

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."

2 Timothy 4:2-5

A Baby Changes Everything

So, today I listened to Christmas music for the first time of this holiday season. Before Thanksgiving?! I think that might be a crime, but the song was called "A Baby Changes Everything" sung by Faith Hill. It really got me thinking about the baby aspect.

I don't really like thinking of Jesus as a baby. That's not my first mental picture of him and somehow maybe even makes me uncomfortable (you know that's just where He wants you - THEN He can teach you something!). So, I thought, "Well, is this really all that important?" But obviously it was or God wouldn't have specifically done it that way. It is no accident that Jesus came to earth as a baby.

This evening, twelve hours later, I was faced with the baby issue again. This time it came from the Oswald Chambers devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest." In it, Chambers warns against the pride of wanting to appear deep spiritually. He challenges that it is not our deep devotion to God that makes us refuse to be shallow, but our wish to impress other people with the fact that we are not shallow. This is a sure sign of being a spiritual snob. "Beware of posing as a profound person; God became a baby."

Whoa! Did that point out some pride in my heart! See, I knew I was uncomfortable with the baby issue. But Phillipians 2:5 says that our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. What was that attitude? One of humility. He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but lowered himself completely to our level, became an obedient servant on our behalf and offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. What a Christmas story!

So this Christmas season, when you see the baby who changed everything, think of humility. What might humility change about this Christmas season for you? How might you become other-centered and God-centered instead of self-centered? What a gift that would be to our Savior!

CHALLENGE: For the next 25 days, specifically do something other-centered as a gift to your Saviour and write it down in your journal. You might even want to post some of the blessings you have received as a result of taking the focus off of yourself. Merry Christmas!

A Facebook Challenge

I think I need to make another confession. I like Facebook. Some of you already know that about me because you like Facebook, too.

There has been an unintended but welcome consequence to me joining Facebook. Reading people's status reports has increased my prayer life. I am honored to pray for others.

Sometimes, I praise God for how He is working in people's lives, but there is not a day that goes by that I don't find myself before the Lord on someone's behalf because of something I read on Facebook.

Does your Facebook look like mine? Do you know any of these ladies?

• the girl who missed the bus and is hoping her dad will get up and take her to school
• the college freshman who procrastinated too long on a final project
• the wife whose husband won't talk to her
  
• the friend who is having to file bankruptcy
• the girl whose heart is broken over a boy
• the little girl in the hospital fighting for her next breath
• the middle schooler who sits alone at lunch every day
  
• the young lady whose mysterious medical condition leaves her unable to control her own body and with major memory losses
  
• the young mom experiencing another miscarriage
• the teacher writing substitute plans again because her little boy isn't getting better
• the young girl whose two fish died
• the high school girls who shamelessly post provocative photos
• the friend fighting cancer again
• the widow who can't pay her bills
  
• the teen who can't figure out her homework and calls herself stupid
• all the ladies who suffer with allergies, migraines, depression or insomnia
  
• the young mom whose husband works out of town - a lot
• the out of work
• the lonely
  
• the lost

You know them, don't you? They hurt. You hurt.
We live in a fallen world. Sin is a nasty thing.

Last weekend, my husband and I attended the funeral of my sister's ex-husband. He committed suicide leaving behind four children. The emotions were intense.
Grief. Anger. Sadness. Abandonment. Guilt. Bitterness. Pain. Loneliness.
The unanswered questions were as unending as the emotions.

My husband, who always seems to know the right thing to say, stood up to speak. He reminded us all that no matter how dark the moment seems, God is always good. He is always faithful.
Sometimes, it is hard to see. If you haven't known God too long, it may be hard to believe. If you don't spend time in his Word, you may forget. So, let me just remind you like Jeff reminded me.

God is good all the time.

God is faithful.

God never changes.

"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers (and sisters). Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:16-17

Thanksgiving is coming up. Let's do ourselves a favor, shall we? Let's remind ourselves every day this month of God's gifts. I want to remember every day the great God we serve and I'm praying you will help me along.

So, here is our challenge. Let's make our status reports every day in November start with the words, "I thank and praise God for..." Let's give God credit for the good he is working in this fallen world.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I Thessalonians 5:15 - 18

I'll be watching to see what amazing things God has blessed you with!

• I thank and praise God that she cares enough to want to get to school
• I thank and praise God the final project was turned in on time
• I thank and praise God she is faithful to love her husband unconditionally
  
• I thank and praise God she has a family who loves her, a job and a roof over her head
• I thank and praise God she is realizing what a jerk he was anyway
• I thank and praise God she is receiving amazing medical care
  
• I thank and praise God she knows Jesus is her friend
• I thank and praise God for her family's love and support
• I thank and praise God she knows with zero doubt that the life the Lord knitted together in her womb is living in heaven with Jesus
  
• I thank and praise God for his comfort and healing
  
• I thank and praise God for Facebook so she can share her sadness with friends without being yelled at to get off the phone
  
• I thank and praise God there are people in these young girls' lives teaching them about purity and praying for them daily
  
• I thank and praise God she knows the Lord and will rest in Him when her battle on earth is over
  
• I thank and praise God for being her provider, the husband of widows
• I thank and praise God for the brilliant brain He gave her and the friends who remind her of that.
  
• I thank and praise God for being the healer
• I thank and praise God every time he comes safely home from a business trip
  
• I thank and praise God for the generous
  
• I thank and praise God for the neighbor
• I thank and praise God that He came to seek and save what was lost
  

Come and Listen!

Come and listen, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what He has done for me.

I cried out to Him with my mouth;

His praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;

But God has surely listened

and heard my voice in prayer.

Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld His love from me!

Psalm 66:16-20



Hey gals, I have something to tell you!

I want to tell you how the Lord was so faithful to me.

I really and truly did cry out yesterday driving home from work.

I just needed to be saved from myself and the horrible, critical running commentary going on in my head and I just cried out to God. Sobbed out. Probably looked a little pathetic -hey, that's heading towards critical again!

He changed my focus from critical thoughts of myself and my failures to focusing on His truth and His love and His plans for my life. As I stopped staring at all my obvious faults and started magnifying His amazing strength and love, I was given peace. Oh how I needed His peace!

What was the sin in my heart? It was pride. I don't like to mess up and look incompetent. I was so obsessed with how I looked, that I wasn't really considering how He looked in my life. I wasn't concerned for His reputation, just mine. That is pride. That is putting me above Him, and that is a miserable place to be.

So I confessed that sin. Called it by name and asked for forgiveness. And with that mess out of the way, He could speak truth into my life and answer my prayer.

Praise the Lord who did not reject me or give up on me or withhold His love from me. Some days it feels like the world does that, but never Jesus. He is faithful. Always. Praise be to God!

Pay Attention!

It is back to school time. The season of daydreaming and mindless wandering is over; it is time to turn your brain back on and start paying attention.

My daughter, Allison, just started her first year in middle school. Here in Stafford, kindergarten through seniors are all in one school, so thankfully she doesn't have to start off in a new building. However, she does have a couple of classes over in the high school hallways, so before school started we walked around and confirmed where each classroom was located. This is important, of course, because nobody wants to get lost in school. It is a dreadful, horrendous, flustering, tormenting, shameful, atrocious, discombobulating, and down right embarrassing experience. One would have nightmares about being lost for the rest of their lives after going astray in the halls of a new school.

Does it sound like I am speaking from personal experience? You bet!

My first embarrassing moment occurred because of my freshmen inability to read a schedule. I knew I had choir; I was very proud that I had found the choir room and the bell had not even rung yet. But when I realized the small class was full of juniors and seniors, I knew I had made a mistake. Yep. Wrong time. I definitely did not qualify for the honors choir.

Okay. So that wasn't dreadful or horrendous. The teacher gave me directions. The upperclassmen snickered a little bit, but I didn't really know any of them so I didn't care all that much. After that, I was able to find all my classes on time and things were looking good.

Then came Mr. Crane. Okay, so it wasn't really Mr. Crane's fault. He just asked me to do a quick errand for him at the beginning of science class one day. "Theresa, please take the attendance slip to the attendance office." No problem, I thought. I grabbed the slip and went out into the hall. I looked right and I looked left. Which way should I go? I had no idea where the attendance office was, so I took off to the left and searched the lower level of the building and could not find it. I knew the main office was on the upper level, so I went up there and searched some more. Frustrated, I slowly walked past the main office looking at all the doors for the sign "Attendance Office" with no luck. Continuing slowly down the hall with the slip still on my hand, I must have been a sad sight. I didn't know where else to look and I was irked with myself.

Mrs. Lyle, the very kind librarian, noticed me wandering the halls like a vagabond and asked me if she could help me find my class. "Oh," I told her, "I know where my class is. The thing is I'm looking for the attendance office and I've looked everywhere and I just can't find it." Mrs. Lyle gently told me, "Go down these stairs, turn right and go down to the end of the hall. If you get to the commons, you've gone too far. The attendance office is on the left hand side right across from Mr. Crane's science room."

Yep. You read correctly. Right across from Mr. Crane's room. I don't mind telling you that I felt like a complete idiot. I had just spent ten or fifteen minutes roaming around this vast high school when all I had to do was take five steps across the hall.

So, I went down the stairs, turned right, walked down the hall, looked to my left and there right before my eyes was a professional, very easy to read sign clearly stating "Attendance Office." I delivered the slip and returned to class.

Class was is full session with Mr. Crane before the class imparting his knowledge of physical science to a room full of uninterested freshmen. I slunk back to my seat and started taking notes. Needless to say, Mr. Crane never asked me to run an errand for him again and I don't think he ever felt very highly of me. And who can blame him?

Why didn't I just look up and pay attention to what was around me? Seriously, all I had to do was open my eyes and look at what was right in front of my face. Instead, I looked right, I looked left, I wandered around and around and up and down. I never asked for directions. I never asked for help. Thinking back, I had a map of the school and if I had just spent a few minutes studying it, I would have known the exact location of the attendance office.

This reminds me of a story Jesus told in Matthew 22. A king prepared a wedding banquet for his son and sent out personal invitations to his guests to come and enjoy. The guests, though invited three times, "paid no attention and went off - one to his field, another to his business." I don't want to ignore the invitation. I don't want to miss the feast. I don't want to be off in the field or sitting on my computer when I could be enjoying what the Lord has prepared for me.

⁷ But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.

⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.

Psalm 5:7-9

The Bible mentions "paying attention" 79 times. Sometimes God is telling us to pay attention to Him and to his Word. Other times, God warns us what will happen when we don't heed his Word.

Here at Lovely Branches Ministries, we are spending the month of September focusing on becoming lifelong learners. Learning and growing in the Lord takes place constantly whether one is in school or not. I know that I learn more when I am simply paying attention. Look up! Look where you are going! Study the map! Ask for directions!

I have a wonderful friend from college, Christina. Many months or even years can pass in between visits, but Christina also asks me the same thought-provoking question when I see her. "What is God teaching you?" If I know I'm going to see or talk to Christina, I send some time thinking about what God is doing in my life and what He is trying to get through to my thick scull and sometimes hardened heart. It is a good question to ask yourself, too, because God is working in your life and He is trying to teach you something. Have you been spending time in the Bible? Have you been paying attention to what is going on around you to see his work?

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1

It is easy to get lost in this big, scary world we live in. Please know that we are praying for you. We pray that you will continue to pay attention and allow God to form you into his image. Pay attention to the work he is doing through you and around you. God bless you and your school year.

Go for the good!

First of all, Happy 1 year Birthday to Lovely Branches Ministries! What an exciting year of growth and pruning. Both are healthy, but that's a whole other blog article in itself!. Today I want to focus on relationships because female relationships are part of the focus of our ministry.

Recently, I have been reading in Romans and a section of verses really stuck out to me about the way we are to live. That section ended with the verse Romans 12:21 which says, "Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."

So let's face it. Relationships can be complicated and sometimes female relationships can be downright ugly. I remember high school days that ended in tears due to something a "friend" had said to me (or behind my back). What's your first response when someone has gossipped about you, told a hurtful lie, or stolen your boyfriend? ANGRY? REVENGE? POKE HER EYES OUT? But this section of verses tells us to live very oppositely and then commands us not to be swallowed up by evil, but get rid of evil with GOOD.

Sound puny? Only because you haven't tried it. There is power in doing what is good and right and walking in love. There is freedom in it, too.

Here's the MESSAGE version of these verses:
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if [she's] thirsty, get [her] a drink. Your generosity will surprise [her] with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

What amazing advice for our relationships! Chew on this. Look at it in different versions and let me know the parts that might require more doing for you so I can pray along with you for extra grace!

Please check back for "Young Hearts" August message.
If you haven't had an opportunity to read previous blogs we invite you to do so.

Authority Issues

I have authority issues. I'm being really honest with you now. The truth is I just don't like someone else telling me what to do. Even if it is something I want to do anyway. I have authority issues.
I remember this time in freshman English class, Mr. Gibson was teaching grammar. I think the assignment was to rewrite twenty sentences changing the verb from present to past tense. I distinctly remember I was supposed to rewrite the entire sentence, which is completely ridiculous. Seriously, what a bunch of busy work! I just needed to show that I knew how to convert the verb into past tense, so that is what I did. I just wrote the verbs. Then, I wrote on the bottom of my paper, "I don't feel like writing sentences." Like I said, I have authority issues.
Well, you can imagine Mr. Gibson's response. The paper was returned to me with a fat, red, capital F on top. I'll have you know that I did redo the assignment and wrote out every one of those sentences, but I didn't like it one bit.
When I became a Christian, I was a bit concerned about getting too involved in a church because it seemed to me that people in church liked to tell you what to do. Did I mention I have authority issues? It has taken me a long time to recognize that my real bondage, the real restriction in my life came from sin. Here I thought I was just doing I wanted, when in reality I was a slave to sin.
Here's an interesting little verse out of Galatians 5. ¹It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Jesus did not sacrifice himself so that he can tell us what to do. As Creator, he already had the authority to do that. No, Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we would have the ability to follow him. The choice to follow, however, remains ours. I like that about God because I have authority issues and I don't like being told what to do. What I do like is that God is not forcing me to do anything. Instead, he loves me enough to send his Son to die for me so I can choose each day to love him right back and to follow him. That is just so cool. The freedom in Christ is just so... freeing!
I was reminded of all this yesterday as I was painting my basement. A song by Ginny Owens came piping out of my iPod and I'd like to share the words with you.
The song is called Free.

Turnin' molehills into mountains
Makin' big deals out of small ones
Bearing gifts as if they're burdens
This is how it's been
Afraid of coming out of my shell
Too many things I can't do too well
Afraid I'll try real hard
And I'll fail
This is how it's been
Till the day You pounded on my heart's door
And You shouted joyfully
You're not a slave anymore!

CHORUS:
You're free to dance
Forget about your two left feet
And you're free to sing
Even joyful noise is music to Me
You're free to love
'Cause I've given you My love
And it's made you free
I have set you free!

My mind finds it hard to believe
That You became humanity and
Changed the course of history
Because You loved us so
And my heart cannot understand
How You accept me as I am
But You say You've always had a plan
And that's all I need to know
So when I am consumed
With what the world will say
Then You're singing to me, as You remove
my chains

Free from worry
Free from envy and denial
Free to live, free to give, free to smile

Watch the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1-2RcZqnIo

SUMMER VACATION

Carrie Hildebrand writes:



SUMMER VACATION IS OFFICIALLY HERE! What are you doing this summer? Have you made any special plans or are you just excited not to be in school anymore? Have you been to the pool yet? I AM SOOOOOOOOOO GLAD SUMMER IS HERE!



Another word for vacation is rest. Taking a rest from the serious business of life, which, if you are a "Young Heart," is most likely school. Everybody needs a rest sometimes. Did you know that God thinks it is so important that we rest, that He made it one of the Big 10 - to keep the Sabbath? (He also instituted lots of festivals and feasts, but that's another story.) The pagan cultures around the Israelites worked 7 days without a break, but God wanted His people to stop, rest, and celebrate His presence in their lives.



I thnk that last phrase is the crucial one for the meaning of Sabbath rest. That's what gave the rest meaning and helped them energize for the next week. Have a great meal, enjoy good company and together remember God's faithfulness in the past week as they looked ahead to the next.



Often in our culture today, relaxing is checking out some movies and disengaging from life as we know it. It often feels good to escape. We like to be amused. "Muse" comes from a word meaning "to think" and "a" is a prefix meaning without. So without thinking. Unplug. Right?



But what God really wants for us in rest is that we plug in. To Him! Enjoy on purpose a blessing that He has given you, like a strawberry ice cream cone, and thank Him for it. See all around you the friends He has blessed you with. Spend time laughing with them and thank Him for it. Feel the sunshine on your back as you swim or lay out and thank Him for it. Take a great nap, stand up and stretch and thank Him for it! I Timothy 6:17 tells us that God "richly supplies us with all things to enjoy." (NASB) Did you catch that? He wants you to enjoy your summer rest. He has supplied you with many rich and wonderful blessings. Some are big, some are little. Savor them all this summer and THANK HIM FOR IT!



Plug in and enjoy.

Got Milk?

OK, so I wanted to start this blog out with something really clever like, "Got prayer?" But then it made me wonder if you could have a prayer mustache. Thankfully, no. But let's take those two very random (I agree) thoughts and see if they'll take us anywhere worthwhile. Seems iffy, I know.

Got prayer?

It does do a body good, but I'm sure it's not something you have, like a good luck charm or special skill. It isn't a vending machine that, if you press G and then 5, will produce your desired outcome - namely a package of Oreos. Now I do need milk! It's just totally not about you, really. And isn't that a good thing. Because if it were about me - if I were talking to myself and depending on my performance or abilities - I would be in serious trouble.

Thank goodness that prayer is two way communication with the Holy God who created the universe and still desires relationship with us today.

Prayer mustache?

I'm also sure that prayer doesn't leave you with that smirky smile you see in the ads as if feeling somehow superior. I do hope it leaves a mark (hopefully not a mustache). If it does, it should be the mark of humility.

I recently read Psalm 139 with fresh spiritual eyes. Ever had that happen? You open to a scripture thinking, "Oh, I've read this lots of times, I think I know this already." Ha! (And, not very humble, either.) Anyway, I started reading and came across verse 16 which says,

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before
one of them came to be."

Wow! He already knows what every day of my life will look like all the way through to the end before any of them ever happened! Ok, I knew that before, but now check out the next verse.

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them."

I had never connected those two verses together. You know, if He already knows all my days, shouldn't His thoughts on what will fill my plate today be precious to me? As I make decisions, do I ask for His leading and expect an answer? Are His thoughts precious to me? Do I wait until I hear from Him?


That is humility, realizing that I am not the one in control or in the center of the universe. That is prayer, putting priority on approaching the throne of God and asking the One who is sovereign and good to allow you just a little bit of the vast sum of His thoughts. It brings us peace to know He is so far above us. So much more mighty. That does my body good.


During May we observe the National Day of Prayer. Thank goodness that the "vast sum" of thoughts that God has includes the plans He holds for our nation. I hope that every day is a day of prayer for us, because we shouldn't attempt to go through a single day on our own strength when we have the opportunity to have a relationship with and communicate with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Did Paul Exfoliate?

Ms. Rudy, my eighth grade science teacher, taught me that every day our bodies create new skin cells. You know what happens, right? Shiny, new cells are formed, but are covered up by the old, dull ones hanging on there as long as they can. Oh, sometimes you have an itch and you scratch some off, but mostly they just fall off as new cells are formed and finally push the oldest ones out of the way. It has been estimated that 30% of household dust is made out of dead skin cells.

I personally like to get rid of those dead things as soon as I can. I use a common method called exfoliation. Many years ago, my sister Sylvia introduced me to St. Ives Apricot Scrub. This isn't a commercial or anything, but that stuff is great. All natural ingredients like shell powder scrub against your skin rubbing off all the dead, worthless cells allowing new skin cells to shine. Makes me want to get up and go exfoliate! But first, let me tell you another time I received a good scrubbing.

Once upon a time in a land far away I had the opportunity to visit an authentic Turkish bath, known as a Hammam with two of my traveling buddies, Katrina and Jana. Though crowded, we were the only Americans present and were escorted by our Arab friends, including a woman by the name of Noel. It was ladies day at the Hamman. Arabs are known for their modesty, but the ladies visiting the bath quickly stripped down to their birthday suits. We Americans just couldn't bring ourselves to do that, so we kept our undies on and entered the main room of the Hammam.

Above, I posted a picture of a very nice Turkish bath. This is not the bath we visited. Ours was less fancy and consisted basically of a big tiled room with low ceilings and faucets sticking out along the wall with large buckets underneath. Our hosts had brought mats for us to sit on, smaller buckets, water scoops, towels, steel-wool hand gloves, and rough, black soap. Did I mention that the floor was very slippery? Katrina entered the room with style by slipping and falling on her almost naked bottom creating quite a scene! Picking up Katrina and our pride, we shuffled over to a corner of the humid room.

The faucets poured out either very hot or very cold water; we filled up our bucket to the desired temperature and doused ourselves. We soaped up with the yucky black soap and used the scratchy mitts to begin cleaning every dead cell off our bodies. Then, our Arab friends demonstrated how to really scrub. "Scrub" seems like such a kind word to use. Let me just say this: It hurts. Not a lot, but it hurts. And it is gross. Gross, gross, gross to realize how much dead, yucky, disgusting, worthless stuff you're hauling around on your body every day. Dead skin cells were flying off everywhere! Noel washed my back, head and hair for me with equal roughness. I have never been cleaner in my life. Released from our bondage of dead skin cells, they rinsed us off with cold sweet smelling rosewater. My glowing skin was smooth and shiny. It really was very refreshing when it was all done.

I was thinking about this the other day after exfoliating my face. Even though it hurts a little, it feels so good to get rid of old, dead skin cells. It made me think of a passage Paul wrote to the folks of Ephesus years ago:

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22 - 24

When I think about loving and following God, about living a more righteous and holy life, I also have to think about those things I have to put off and get rid of, even though it may hurt a little. What do you have in your life that makes you dull and unable to shine for Jesus? Is your attitude negative and grumpy? Are the words you speak harsh, untrue or unwholesome? Are you holding on to anger or bitterness? Have you stolen something that doesn't belong to you? Do you ignore those around you who most need your care? Do you dishonor your parents or teachers? Is your work sloppy? Are you unforgiving?

Before we can reflect the grace and joy of Jesus' love, we must first scrub away our dead, useless selves. This is a daily process that takes a lifetime. I challenge you to read all of Ephesians, or at the very least Ephesians 4. Ask the Lord what part of your old, worthless self He would like you to work on scrubbing out so that His sweet-smelling radiance can shine through.

**Just as a side note, the Ephesus of Paul's time lies in present day Turkey. They had public baths, too and though Paul never talks about his personal hygiene in his letters, I wonder what he thought about when he exfoliated.

As always, I'd love to hear your comments and questions and I'd be honored if you became a follower of this blog. Share it with all the young ladies you know. Thanks, Theresa

A Young Woman of Influence

Ladies, I have a challenge for you today. Take five index cards. Okay, so little scraps of paper will do, and if you need to, you can just follow along in your head, but do follow along. On each, write something that you treasure-- something you really just could not live without. What did you put down? Maybe your family, your friends, your health, your instrument, your home, your computer, your Bible, your dog, your iPod, your nation, your favorite bra, your church, your phone, your boyfriend, your car, your chocolate? Can you narrow it down to the top five? Great. Thanks for playing along.

Now, turn them over or crinkle them up, mix them up, put them in a pile and without looking, pull out one. Unless you pulled out something like salvation or God, which cannot be taken away, throw it away. It's gone. Ouch. So just in case you only had to get rid of your favorite bra, let's lose two more. Oh, mama, I'm feeling it now. Can you imagine having something so treasured being gone?

Let me tell you about this amazing young lady I know. She is twenty-years-old now, but when we met, she was just beginning her teenage years. Jessica Jerke is a member of our former church and youth group in Colorado. My daughter, Allison, was only three at our first meeting and she has looked up to Jessica ever since. I appreciate this because over the years, Jessie has proven herself to be a positive role model and influence on my daughter and others around her. While in school, Jessie was an honor student and kept busy in sports, choir, youth group and clubs. She is witty, intelligent, funny, thoughtful and most importantly, her heart belongs to the Lord and she has striven to serve Him in her relationships, words and actions. Jessica loves to sing and toured with the Continentals here in the United States and abroad. Allison recently shared with me that the reason she decided to pursue singing was because of a time when Jessica sang a beautiful song at a family Christmas party, sharing both her God-given talent and her heart for Him. Last year, she began her college career at Colorado Christian University to study music education.

Jessica's Facebook postings were full of fun and excitement including time with her boyfriend Matt, dinner with friends, ice skating, trips to Estes Park and Glenwood Springs, and every once in awhile a note about college classes, too. "I'm doing great!" was posted in early April. Postings began to drastically change near the end of April and into May. An up-beat girl who never complains was explaining how she wasn't feeling well-- she had headaches, blurry vision, restless sleep, pain in her jaw and sinuses, and no peace. She was praying to feel normal again. May 29 "My MRI's showed nothing wrong with me. Watch me walk and I think you'll disagree with the doctors." For reasons we may never know this side of heaven, Jessica's "health card" was pulled out of her pile and so many other treasures were lost as well. Her most damaging symptom is called ataxia, a generic name for loss of coordination, a gentle way of saying she cannot control her own body; she uses a wheelchair and depends on others.

In the past ten months, Jessica has been in and out of various hospitals, therapies, tests, and doctor offices, along with emotional and spiritual struggles. Her blood and spinal fluid have been tested in labs all over the world. Even a trip to the Mayo clinic left the family with no diagnoses and so far no cure. In an article that appeared in her local paper, Jessica was quoted as saying, "There's a good chance that it's this brand-new disease and they can name it after me and my doctor."

It seems that something has happened inside Jessica's body to turn her "T" cells to look just like the cells in her cerebellum. Her brain is literally under attack by her own body's immune system because the brain's cells look just like the rogue "T" cells. Her recent struggles include infections, a bi-pap machine malfunction, negative reactions to medication, and even amnesia. Currently, she is undergoing chemotherapy with great hope that it will improve her condition.

Life is hard, yet Jessie has some huge cards remaining in her pile. "Family" "Friends" are two important ones. Also, I'm thinking that "My witness for Christ" could easily have been another card that Jessica has treasured. Throughout her life, she has been an influence on so many people, including my daughter, for the Lord's sake and that influence still continues to this day. I hope Jessie knows that.

What's the most significant card in the pile? "God" Here is a card that can never be taken away, in this world or the next. And it is this card that Jessica and her family continue to lean on.

Join me in praying for Jessica. And let's pray for ourselves, too, that whatever card we may lose in life that we would cling to the One who cannot be taken away and who will sustain us. May we see that most of the treasures we think we can't live without do not compare to Him.

I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." PS 16:2

Heart Check

So, do any of you have a junk drawer? You know, that spot in your dresser where stuff seems to accumulate. Stuff that you really don't want to part with, but don't really use very often either.

My daughter is only in first grade, so her junk drawer contains a small plastic slinky, party favor size bottle of bubbles, random marbles and glass beads that she deemed pretty enough to keep, a very short pencil with almost-new eraser, etc, etc. You get the picture.

My junk drawer contains some screws that probably go to something. I'm afraid to throw them away - because then I'll figure out later what I needed them for and then I won't have them! A few keys are in there, too. The luggage size. Same problem as above. A flashlight, a tiny screwdriver, some pens, some rubber bands, a spare half-used Blistex, an exercise ball pump, etc, etc. Yours might have some random lipsticks, pony tail holders, pens, a calculator, some left-over gum, maybe someone's picture, who knows what else?!

The point is that sometimes, because of the fast pace of our lives, we don't deal with the things in our junk drawer. Things we just leave alone because we don't know what to do with them. Things we'd rather hide than throw away. Useless things that need to be shown the trash can as well as long lost useful things we are glad we stored up and have access to later when needed. More urgent things demand our energy and attention every day. So we sweep stuff into the drawer and hold on to it until we decide what to do with it later. The stage of our life dictates what kind of stuff is in our drawer.

Our hearts can be the same way, so every once in a while we need to clean out the "junk drawer" and have a heart check. Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." It takes deciding to open up the drawer and sort through the articles inside, doesn't it? It takes bringing them into the light and deciding if they are worth keeping. It takes us inviting God, who really knows the contents of our hearts, to shine His light around and see what is good and useful and what needs to be shown the trash can.

If I asked my daughter to throw away some of her "treasures" it would be really hard for her and might entail some whining/crying. Even though I can see that they are plastic worthless trinkets and not as valuable as something I might like to give her, she has no room for them. Similarly, it might be painful to deal with some of the things we hold on to in our hearts and a cause for whining/crying. Maybe a relationship that takes us further from our Savior or an activity/pursuit that divides our time too much. These things fill our hearts and take up space which He wanted to fill with "more than we could ask or imagine," (Eph 3:20). Proverbs 17:3 says, "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart." It might feel like a furnace at times to let Him purify us as needed so that He can fill us with His Spirit and use us for His glory.

Is there room in your heart for the Spirit to move? Does He have free reign? Is anything cluttering it up which He might be speaking to you about right now? As I write this, I know that TIME is the issue for me - taking time to sit and allow Him to unclutter my heart. It can't be done if I don't decide to open up the drawer and deal with it. Psalm 46:10 tells us to "Be still and know that He is God." That is what it will take for us today.

So I'd like to hear from you! Tell me an item in your literal junk drawer that might represent something "cluttering" your heart. If you've got real heart clutter and have to make up something literal to represent it, go for it! Then put that reminder near your bathroom mirror to remind you to give it over daily. Let me hear from you this month!

[Posted by Carrie]

January 10, 2010

Don’t you love a new tube of toothpaste? Or a new package of eyeshadow? Ooooo, even better, a new package of gum! Why is that? It’s all there, brand new, fresh, easy to get to, not damaged or torn up. Fresh and new. Endless possibilities. OK, maybe toothpaste doesn’t really have endless possibilities, but a fresh start does! A clean slate.

In Psalm 51:10, the psalmist asks the Lord to create in him a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit inside of him. Renew it. Make it new again. I love that our God is able to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). All things. That means there is nothing that cannot be made fresh and new. Redeemed and made whole again. Lamentations 3:23 tells us that He has a fresh set of mercies for us every morning, knowing what we will need for that day. Not half-used ones, or the less expensive brand, but rich and fresh mercies and compassion for us every day. His faithfulness is so great, He already has it prepared for us before we need it. I guess the key is, are we asking for it like the psalmist did and taking it up for ourselves. Are we allowing Him to make all things new in our lives, or are we holding tightly to the damaged pieces afraid to see what will happen if we let go? I love II Corinthians 5:17 which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” That’s a promise! So how come sometimes I feel like a whole lot of “old” is still hanging around? The key is the word “in” Christ. The Greek word here means “a relation of rest.” Meaning like a pebble resting in my hand. Better yet, meaning me resting in God’s hand. Are you trusting Him with your life in this New Year, resting in Him, allowing Him to work in your life as He wants to? Because if you are, the old has gone, the new has come!

Carrie