Save me!

Have you seen this video yet?



Here you have a pod of dolphins who somehow are misguided. I don't know why they decided the shore would be a better place to hang out. Surely God created them to swim in the vast ocean and not flop along the sand.

Maybe it looked like fun up there on the beach. Maybe the leader of the pod lost its way and the others just followed along.

Thankfully, there were people watching this pod of dolphins swimming toward disaster. They were quick to redirect. Though the people were obviously way out of their comfort zone, they entered the water and pulled the dolphins back to safety.

It took a few tries for some. The people had to yank the dolphins by the tail. It may have even hurt the animals a bit. Most resisted. Some swam right back towards shore just to be rescued again.

Finally, all the dolphins are pulled back into deeper, safe water and they seemed to realize that the ocean is where they truly belong.

As I sat watching this video, I was thinking about someone I know who has lost direction in her life. She is purposefully swimming toward disaster.

Do you know someone who has lost their way?

Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and reach out to that person?

You may have to ask them the hard questions.

It may sound like this: "Those shorts are awfully short, don't you think?" "Why are you hanging out with him?" "I've missed you at church. Can I pick you up this Sunday?" "Hey, I saw the picture you posted on Facebook. What's going on?"


You may have to drag them out of a situation that you know is dangerous for them.


It may look like this: "We didn't know her mom would have alcohol at this party. Let's get out of here." "I'm not going to leave you alone in the room with him." "I'll start driving when you put your seat belt on."

My prayer is that you would love your friend enough to do the tough thing. Even if she resists, keep speaking truth into her life.

Maybe you are the person who is swimming away from safety and resisting the help around you. Please go back to the where the water is deep. Make choices that will put a smile on God's face.

Remember that God loves you and want to provide the best in life for you and protect you from the worst.

True freedom is found in Christ where you can swim in safety.

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:25

Why, Lord?

Those age old questions: Why me Lord? Why did you let that happen, God? What did I do wrong? What did they do wrong? Where were you God? Why Lord? Why?Awhile back, a friend emailed me with questions regarding the passage in John 9: 1 - 5.

As [Jesus] went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him,

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

My friend was confused by Jesus' answer. The first thing we have to remember is that when Jesus lived, it was common for Jewish people to believe that sickness, calamity, and hard times were a direct result of sin. If a child was born with blindness, people automatically assumed someone had sinned against God.

There are times in the Bible, of course, when God punishes or disciplines. But let's not forget that we live in a fallen world. Disease happens. Birth defects happen. Catastrophes happen. They are natural consequences of living in a fallen world.

I've noticed that we humans are quick to ask the why question. Why would God allow this to happen to me? Did I do something wrong? Was my sin so great that God is punishing me? We want to be able to point a finger, even if it is at ourselves, to pinpoint the reason for bad things happening. I think that was the case, in John 9.

Before that blind man was born, God had a plan for his life. It was a plan that allowed the blindness and a plan that included a great revealing of God's glory. Listen to the words of Jesus again, "...this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him". What an honor to be a vessel of God's mighty work.While pondering all of this, I was reminded of my own experience in watching a precious little girl weaken and die because of a nasty, relentless brain cancer. Prior to the cancer, she was a bubbly, happy little girl dreaming of what she wanted to be when she grew up. And now she is gone. There is that ‘why’ question again. Lord, why her?

I can't begin to think that I know the full answer to that question, but I do know that the words Jesus spoke for a blind man two thousand years ago are still true today, for this family as well.

"This happened so that the works of God might be displayed."

God showed Himself in mighty ways during this little girl’s fight against cancer. God's love was poured over her and the family. Money was raised. Food was given. A temporary home near the treatment center was provided. Prayers were lifted up. And her cancer went away the moment she entered the arms of Jesus.

The grief is still heavy for the family. Maybe there is heavy grief in your life, too. Maybe it is cancer, Or family issues, Or loneliness, Or money problems, Or rejection.

I don't know what difficulty you are facing. But, I do know this: God is sovereign. He is in control. He is not pacing the floors of heaven wondering how things are going to turn out. He is trustworthy. He will give you the strength you need to go through your trial. His glory will be revealed.

So, a simple answer to the question ‘Why Lord?’ - God loves you and wants to work in your life in a mighty way. He wants to display HIS glory through YOUR life.

"This happened so that the works of God might be displayed"

Here am I.

I like to think about heaven. There are times that I long to be there, to leave behind this fallen world, to be in the presence of God Almighty.

In the Bible, there are a few places where God gives us a glimpse of heaven. My favorite is Isaiah 6. The prophet Isaiah records his vision of heaven.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices, the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Can you imagine being in the presence of our holy Jehovah Sabaoth? You can't even tiptoe into the room without stepping on the hem of his garment that fills the temple. And then we see God cleansing Isaiah of his guilt and atoning for his sin. If I were Isaiah, at this point, my fear would be gone and I would be perfectly content to stay with God forever. Instead, Isaiah hears God ask a question.

"Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

Isaiah is quick to answer, "Here am I. Send me!"

I don't really know what the year 2012 holds for you or for me. It may be a time when God uses burning coals to cleanse me and transform me more to his image. God often uses events in our lives to do just that.

I want to be ready when he calls me. I don't want to hesitate. I want to be able to say, "Here am I. Send me!" I want to be prepared to serve Him.

Are you prepared to serve God in whatever way he calls you? Have you studied his Word to know his Truth? Are you willing to do the right thing when others around you fall? Do you spend time in prayer? Do you have a church family that knows the Lord and supports you in following him? Are you looking for where God is working so you can join him?

That's my prayer for you for the year 2012.

A Christmas Miracle

Christmas.

Do you have a favorite Christmas? You know, the year where everything just seemed right in the world and the Red Ryder BB Gun you wanted was under the tree? Okay, maybe it was Mystery Date or a Cabbage Patch Doll or an American Girl Doll.

There is one special Christmas that I reflect on every year. I’m not sure how old I was – maybe eight or nine. My dad had recently moved the five kids left at home to Barton County, Florida infamous for being the poorest county in Florida. We fit right in.

My dad, a small hump-backed man, continued to raise us on the monthly social security disability checks that arrived in the mail each month.

As Christmas approached, a young couple contacted the elementary school we attended and asked if there was a needy family they could bless for Christmas. Our family was chosen and Jack Berry contacted my dad and asked for the honor of providing our Christmas presents that year. My dad accepted with one condition. The Berrys had to deliver the presents themselves.

Mr. Berry balked at this. He wanted the gifts to be anonymous, but my dad insisted. He wanted us children to thank Mr. and Mrs. Berry in person. Dad wanted us to learn about being generous.

I remember when Mr. and Mrs. Berry arrived with armfuls of packages. We took turns opening our gifts, as is our family tradition, and thanked them for each treasure. I received a new nightgown, a rare gift being the youngest girl with a dresser holding only hand-me-downs. The most exciting gift was the Atari. Donkey Kong. Oh, the joys of technology.

As we kids sat around the tree admiring each other’s gifts, my dad glanced over and discovered Mrs. Berry sitting quietly on the couch with silent tears streaming down her face. He went over to her and asked her what was wrong.

Frankly, she said, she didn’t understand why God would give so many children to a crippled, little man with no means to support them, but no children to a young, healthy couple with so much to give.

She meant no harm by her statement and my dad was keenly aware of the pain in her heart. What happened next is most clear in my memory.

My daddy knelt on the floor in front of Mrs. Berry and took her hand in his and prayed for her. He thanked God for her generous spirit and asked God to give her the baby she so deeply desired.

When he finished, there was an awkward silence. Someone brought Mrs. Berry some toilet paper so she could blow her nose and the young, childless couple went home.

As months went by, I didn’t think about Mr. and Mrs. Berry. I enjoyed my warm pajamas and fought with my siblings for time on the Atari. The school year ended; summer came and went.

One day, my dad told me to get ready because we were going to the flower store. I had never been to the flower store, so I ran a brush through my stringy, long hair and considered myself ready to go.

Dad and I stopped at the florist and he purchased yellow roses. I got to hold them in the truck and they smelled wonderful. Then we drove through Winter Haven into a neighborhood I had never seen before. The homes were large with manicured yards. That is when my daddy told me we were going to visit Mr. and Mrs. Berry.

And Jack Jr.

God is still in the business of miracles. He can bring life to the barren. He can restore the marriage. He can destroy the cancer. He can provide the job. He can fill the void of a lonely heart. He can forgive. He can love the unlovable.

The greatest miracle of all is Jesus. God sent his only Son from heaven to earth to die for you and for me. Jesus rose and is alive today. God loves you and wants to do a miracle in your life. Don’t be afraid to get on your knees and ask God for the impossible. He is still in the business of miracles.

Happy Thanksgiving

If you don't know, I picked up another half time job this fall. I'm a history teacher. I love history. I don't like memorizing dates, facts and figures, but I love the stories.

I found a little story that took place inside the classroom of a history teacher and I would like to share it with you.

A teacher asked her students to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. The students cast the most votes for:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not turned in her paper yet. She asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.

The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."

The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to see
2. to hear
3. to touch
4. to taste
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. to love

getSynergized Newsletter (7-27-03); submitted by Phil Myers, Chesterton, Indiana

November is the month of thankfulness. When I am listing what I am thankful for, I usually list people and material things first. You know, I'm thankful for my family, my home, having food to eat, having a church family, clean water, indoor plumbing. . . Those sorts of things.

This year, I want to focus on things I don't always think of. I'm thankful for the ability to love. I'm thankful I can laugh. I am so thankful my senses are all working.

Most of all, I'm extremely thankful that God knows me and that He has a deep desire for me to know Him. This continuously blows me away. God knows me. God knows you. He desires to have fellowship with each of us on a personal level. Now here is something to truly be thankful for.

A tornado could come through and take my house, but I'd still have Him.
An accident could occur and I could lose my family, but I'd still have Him.
A stroke could leave me unable to express love, but I'd still have Him.
I could lose my sight, but I'd still have Him.

God is the only thing that can never be taken away from me. And everything else, all of the above, are just blessings upon blessings that He pours into my life.

Thank you, Lord. Really, there are not words to describe the appreciation I have for who He is.

So, thank God for your food, and your home and your family. Just don't forget to praise and thank God for who He is. Remember that every good thing comes from Him.

Dating Advice

Hey Girls!

Are you dating someone?

Is there a boy that you like?

Now, I don't know about you, but when I started dating, I was really checking out guys for marriage.

The other day I happened on this short, funny video on dating. It was produced by a Jewish group, but don't let that throw you.

I hope you enjoy it.

Purity

Today, it was 102 degrees outside. If you were to come over to my house, the first thing I would do is offer you a glass of water.

Would you like a glass of water? Here you go.

I can see you now. You're sitting on my couch enjoying the refreshing liquid. Can you imagine with me? The drink cools your parched throat.
Say it with me: "Ahhhh."

What if I told you that I accidentally dropped some cyanide in there? Whoops. It wasn't much really. Just a few drops. I really hope it doesn't kill you. I'm so sorry the water I gave you wasn't pure.

Purity.

It is a topic most young people do not like to talk about. Mostly because they are feeling guilty. Sometimes it just makes them uncomfortable. Let's define purity first.

pu·ri·ty

noun

1. the condition or quality of being pure; freedom from anything that debases, contaminates, pollutes, etc.: the purity of drinking water.

pure

adjective
1. free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter

Thank you, dictionary.com.

Naturally, when we start talking about purity, our minds go to sexual purity, abstinence, refraining from having sex. But purity is more than that. It's about being pure in thoughts, actions, and words and being careful with what goes in our minds. It's a whole attitude, a way of life you live. I've been married for fifteen years and I still struggle with purity. Why? Because it has to do with being pure in heart, in our conduct, in our motives, in our inner spirits, and in our thought lives.

I'll let you in on a little secret.

Nobody is pure. Everybody struggles in this area.

So why do grown-ups make such a big deal about sexual purity? Why does God make such a big deal about sexual purity?

Do you really want to know the truth? You might be surprised. Are you ready? Okay, here I go. The real reason we make such a big deal about sexual purity is because we care. Yep. That's it. We care about you. We love you. God loves you.

God wants to do two things. He wants to provide you with the very best and protect you from everything else.

²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
²² they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
²³ Then you will go on your way in safety,

and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
²⁶ for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

Proverbs 3:21-26

Wow! Look at all the things God gives to those who follow Him.
Life. Grace. Safety. No Fear. Sweet Sleep. The Lord will be at your side. These are all the good things God is waiting to provide for you when you follow His wisdom.

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. ¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

If you are a Christian, a follower of Christ, then the Holy Spirit lives in you. Your body is not yours to do whatever you want with it. Christ died for you. He purchased you at a tremendous price. Why? So you can do whatever you want with your boyfriend? No. To honor God. I really want you to think about this. Honor God in all your choices, but especially in how you behave with your body, His temple.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the

marriage bed kept pure,

for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Hebrews 13:4

Pure.

The guy you are dating is not your husband. He does not belong to you. Until you are married, you are kissing somebody else's husband.

God has a husband for you. How would it feel to know your future husband is out fooling around with some other girl right now? Those memories will never leave him.

Adultery is a strong word, but I'm not the one using it here. God is. And He says He will judge you. Don't say I didn't warn you.

God wants to provide you with a husband. He wants you to have a pure relationship. God desires to give you a marriage filled with life and grace and safety. He wants you to have sweet sleep. He does not want you to live in fear. Fear of STD's. Fear of pregnancy out of wedlock. Fear of being caught. He wants to walk beside you all of the days of your life and provide you with His best. I promise you: His best is better anything you can dream of creating on your own.

Decide to stay pure. Sex is a really wonderful thing. God thought it up. He wants you to save physical intimacy for marriage because it will protect you from a lot of bad junk and provide you with a marriage worth having.

I'm telling you this because I care.

These thoughts came from our summer girls' Bible study, His Girl by Vicki Courtney.