A Beautiful Inheritance

A Beautiful Inheritance

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Lord, you are my portion
and my cup of blessing;
you hold my future.
The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Psalm 16:5-6 (CSB)

I’m not proud of a lot in my past, but you know what? My past is what makes me who I am because it defines the boundaries of my life. The enemy tries to use my past to derail my future because he’s absolutely terrified I’ll be unstoppable if I get this right. He’ll use yours against you too. The enemy will want you so focused on you and your pain that you can’t begin to be there for someone else. So even though I’m not proud of everything I’ve ever done, I’m incredibly grateful for my life and my inheritance.

Our one job is to possess our land, to own our inheritance, to accept it. Every single, messy inch of it. This means we have to stop hiding from our past. It’s hard to face the past. We all have things we desperately wish weren’t there. But when we surrender our lives to God, He’ll redeem our past for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

I cringe when I recall the life I lived in the decades before I accepted Jesus as my Savior. But I know those days shaped me into the woman I am today. I can easily connect with a woman dealing with infertility because I dealt with it too. It was a hard, hard season in my life, but God got me through, and if I can help even one woman get through it, then the pain and the tears were worth it!

There is nothing on earth you’ve gone through that He doesn’t understand. He knows all about your past and He knows about your future too — the good, the bad, the ugly. Every single bit of your land and life has a purpose. And you can trust Him with all of it.

This excerpt is by Kate Battestelli, published in the (in)courage Devotional Bible and the Summer (in) the Psalms Devotional Journal.

We’re journeying through the book of Psalms this summer, and we hope you will too! Every Thursday, several of our contributors will hold a video conversation about what they’re learning from a selected psalm. These conversations are so good for our souls, and just plain fun! Find the full list of videos here as they go live — the very first one is ready and waiting for you!

If you haven’t started your Summer (in) the Psalms journey yet, it’s definitely not too late! There’s plenty of summer left, and so many wonderful truths waiting in the Psalms. We hope you’ll join us.

Grab your copy of the Summer (in) the Psalms 40-Day Devotional Journal for just $7.99! This beautiful printed journal, only available on Amazon, includes forty days of reading selections from Psalms, twenty full devotions from the (in)courage Devotional Bible, and daily reflection questions with lined pages for journaling your answers. This journal is an all-inclusive, one stop shop for your summer studying!

We can’t wait to spend Summer (in) the Psalms with you.

Get your Summer (in) the Psalms Devotional Journal today!

On Kingdom Living and Table Talk

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Here we are, weeks into what seems like an endless sea of hard and heavy conversations on racism. Honestly, I feel as though I have had ALL the conversations with ALL the people. I have felt emotionally spent and very hopeful at the same time. I have had dear friends near and far reach out to check on me. They have prayed for me, listened to me, and empathized with me. They have searched their hearts and have asked genuine questions.

I’ve thought a lot about how Jesus lived and how we’re called to live as He did. At every turn, Jesus stood up for the poor, the outcast, the oppressed, and the marginalized. He did it with love, grace, and boldness. He used truth to challenge every status quo and to change the current narrative.

In John 4, Jesus has an encounter with the woman at the well. From start to finish, this encounter flies in the face of every social norm of the time. Samaritans were a mixed ethnic group and very well hated by Jewish culture. It was completely unheard of for a Jewish man, let alone a rabbi, to speak with a Samaritan. Jesus begins His journey by telling the disciples that He needed to go through Samaria. So, there in the middle of the day, He goes out of His way to talk with a Samaritan woman. He turns her world upside down by extending truth, grace, and love towards her. And then He uses that encounter to teach the disciples about whom He came to save and who is welcome in the kingdom of God.

In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells a parable about a man who was robbed and beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. Both a priest and a Levite saw the man yet avoided him by crossing the road. Then, a Samaritan saw the man and had compassion on him. He went over and above in caring for the wounded man. He bandaged him and paid for more care at a nearby inn. Jesus patiently taught the disciples about what it looks like to show mercy, even when it’s to our enemies.

I recently had dinner with a group of people at a literal round table. There were about ten of us. We were of different ethnicities, ages, and walks of life. Most of us were new to each other. Some of us were acquaintances, and some were good friends. This group had never assembled before, and yet the Lord had a beautiful purpose in mind for this gathering. Our gracious host was a lovely new friend of mine named Edie. She is in her early sixties and has such a huge desire for unity and love within the Body of Christ. She gathered us together in hopes of creating a safe space for us to process and for her to listen and learn from those of us with brown and black skin. We broke bread, shared communion, and had hard conversations.

My friend Bri, who just happened to be visiting at the time, was also at this table, and she shared truth filled with wisdom and revelation. She said that the kind of conversations we were having were best done around a table.

I couldn’t agree more! When I think of the early Church in the book of Acts, it says that they met in homes daily. They prayed, worshiped, broke bread, and I’m sure had all manner of conversations. I imagine there were opposing perspectives on life issues and interpretations of Scripture, those with questions and those with answers. There was probably agreement and empathy and even apologies over hurt feelings from those who sat at the table.

Creating space at the table doesn’t make issues, like racism, disappear. However, it does create an intentional space to have those conversations. The table becomes the place where we are all seen, heard and loved. We can learn and be educated in online spaces, and I believe the next best thing to do is to bring what we are learning to those tables among friends and family that are willing to learn and grow as well.

Bri also spoke of changing our mindsets from earthly perspectives to kingdom perspectives. We are citizens of heaven, but we forget this too easily and let earthly perspectives rule our hearts and minds. Through Jesus, we also have access to be in constant fellowship with God, and we can experience His presence here and now. By our words and our actions, we can also show others who God is.

As we keep renewing our minds, God’s thoughts become our thoughts. We begin to see others the way He sees them. We begin to love the things He loves. We begin to walk in unity with one heart and one mind. Isn’t that what we all desire?

I know I am not completely there yet. I am wrapped in human flesh that gets in the way sometimes.

But God is patient, kind, loving, and faithful. He is the author of salvation and redemption. He is light in the darkness and makes crooked places straight. He is the mender of all things broken. He is our Prince of Peace. He is the perfecter of our faith, and He is our soon and coming King.

Hard conversations are best done at the table, and we can take heart when they become uncomfortable and filled with tension. We have a God who is with us and who helps us along the way.

 

Have you had conversations about racism at the table — literally or figuratively?
What have you learned about God through them?

 

The Reality of the Future Gives Hope for Today

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And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5 (NLT)

COVID-19 is still very real. Racism is rampant. We are grieving death — unexpected and expected — while still trying to manage life in a pandemic. WE ARE WEARY.

When life doesn’t let up, when the wave of loss overcomes us again and again, silver linings don’t cut it. We need hope that is tangible, real, and unwavering when circumstances keep changing. Hope for today comes from the reality of our future. We look forward to the day when God will make all things right and new. But even now, God is doing that work. Look for it. Join Him in it. Rest as He does it.

So, this is our promise for today: In this fragmented world, God is making all things new.

What If It’s as ‘Simple’ as Everyday Faithfulness?

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My grandfather passed away last month. A few hours after receiving the news, the memory of a long-forgotten college paper crossed my mind.

It was late. Both night and tears had fallen, but instead of going to bed I sat at my desk searching through documents.

There. There! The glow of the computer screen lit up the room as I opened the file.

After three months of reading, writing, studying, presenting and discussing, our final assignment in this particular class centered around the idea of being “called to ministry.” What does the phrase mean? What does it look like? Am I called to ministry and if so, how?

The paper weaves together multiple stories — multiple “calls” — but it begins with a pastor living in North Carolina.

Before I could scroll down to his words, to the quotes saved from an interview with my grandfather years earlier, God’s kindness met me.

I knew what I was looking for, but I didn’t know what I would find.

A date is listed in the top left corner of the twelve-page paper. According to the document, I made the final edits exactly six years and one day earlier.

It’s a small detail, to be sure, but as I sat there in my pajamas, I couldn’t help but laugh as a smile spread across my tear-stained face.

Even then, six years and one day earlier, God knew. Over the past month or two, my friends and I have jokingly said we’re ready to get back to “precedented times.” We want the light at the end of the tunnel, the assurance that there’s an end-date to sheltering in place.

But there, with the document open, it was as clear as the date displayed on the page: God holds time and He holds us, all at the same time.

Ours is a God who cannot be taken by surprise, who knows how the story will end but chooses to walk with us on every page. Ours is a God who cannot stand to stay away, who comes close and shows His kindness in the smallest of details.

Three days later, I stood in a black dress in a North Carolina cemetery.

I held a funeral program in my hands, and once again a date got my attention. Every person gathered that day came not because of the years listed, but because of how he lived and loved in the dash in-between.

Small details . . . as small as a dash.

On page eleven of my college paper, after sharing my own journey of wrestling with and finally accepting the call to ministry, I wrote the following:

The life and story of each minister is unique, as is every call to ministry, and many choose not to answer the call. However, I saw clearly the importance of answering the call – not just for oneself or for those that will be impacted immediately, but for those who will follow in your footsteps. As we live a life of ministry, we leave a legacy behind us. The truth of this is displayed prominently in my life: Pastor Al is my grandfather.

Choosing to answer the call to ministry greatly impacted his life as well as the lives of his children, including my mother. I was raised to know who Jesus is and there was never a time in my life when my grandfather was not serving and pastoring.

Everyday faithfulness may look small and feel ordinary in the moment, but it will leave a legacy that speaks volumes.

Everyday faithfulness doesn’t chase the next big thing; it does the next right thing.

Everyday faithfulness is not about accolades, fame, or follower counts; it bends low to serve.

One day, someone will engrave a stone or hold a funeral program with my name and two years listed. The same is true for you. But for now, we still have time left in the dash, in the days in-between.

What we write and create matters. How we live, speak, and serve matters.

You’re leaving a legacy, even as you make a peanut butter sandwich or an Excel spreadsheet. You’re opening doors and paving the way for generations to come.

On the final page of the paper, I wrote these words:

I saw a life of ministry lived out and this likely played a role in answering my own call to ministry. My grandfather and I now share a love for words and the responsibility to encourage and serve others. He faithfully continues to answer his call by speaking at a pulpit each week and I continue to write online.

In some ways, this post is a continuation of his legacy.

God holds time and He holds us, all at the same time. May we be faithful in the time that we have left, choosing to live lives of everyday faithfulness, believing that they will ultimately point to the one who is eternally faithful.

 

The Teacher Is Always There

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The other day our mower just stopped working. I went out to mow, and it just wouldn’t move. We knew this day was coming. We had been using the same mower for many, many years on a lawn that was too big for it. So we had already had conversations about a new mower.

It seemed everyone loved the zero turn mowers — the ones that have two levers to steer instead of a steering wheel. We researched and looked at several places that carried them. Each one said the same thing: once you mow with a zero turn mower, you’ll never want to use another mower again. They said it would be so easy and that we’d love it. So we listened and got one.

When it was time to mow, my husband drove it around as if he had done so for years. He had already tried it before we made the purchase, but still, he made it look easy — flying around the yard, driving between things, trimming around the flower beds and trees.

I was excited when it was my turn to mow. All the positive reviews echoed through my head: It’s so easy to use! I’ve taught people in their eighties to drive one!

But it turned out that was so not my experience! I thought I’d be able to just jump on and get it like my husband had, but it was hard and confusing for me — like my brain was taking to too long to think about which lever I needed to move which way. I was all over the place, and the levers were so touchy. Forget about maneuvering anything around! It was a disaster, and the only fantastic thing about the new mower for me was that it had a comfortable seat — that was about it!

It was such a huge disappointment. I thought it was supposed to make my life easier. My husband — God bless him for being so patient — stepped in to help. He walked alongside me, telling me to go slowly and walking me through what to do with those dang levers. He encouraged me and told me I was doing well, even though I knew I was not catching on.

It certainly didn’t come easy for me like I had hoped and like everyone had said. I’d definitely need more guidance and teaching and patience in my learning. It was going to be a process.

Such is life and our relationship with the Lord. He is our greatest teacher, and He sends us great lessons in many ways — even through the most ordinary ways. Yet often we are not the best students. We don’t think we need help. We want to jump ahead and do things on our own, often without knowing what we are doing. We don’t take the time to really listen to Him. We don’t let Him guide us. We don’t let Him teach us the way first. I don’t know about you, but I know I could be a better student and pay closer attention.

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.”
John 13:13 (NIV)

Jesus became human in order to show us the way. We all need to be taught, and we all have different things to learn. And yes, sometimes it takes a while to get it. Try not to be discouraged: we each learn at a different pace and in different ways. It takes time to process the lessons He is trying to teach us. Thank goodness He is so patient with us!

We will all have to go through some growing pains in our journey, too. Some lessons will come easier than others. It won’t always be a smooth and easy road. Some lessons we will have to learn many times over. We will inevitably make mistakes, but He will offer grace when we get in our own way.

We may even just want to give up when it gets too hard. I had that same feeling with the new mower. I just wanted to give up, even though I enjoy mowing. I love those hours in nature, with just the hum of the mower and my thoughts. But my husband won’t let me give up. With all his sweet patience, he will teach me to use it and maybe, hopefully, some day I will agree it is indeed the best mower ever!

God is faithful, and He will not give up on us. Take your requests to Jesus. Ask Him to teach you. He is always able and ready as long as we are willing. The Teacher is always there, speaking deeply into our hearts, giving us the guidance we need.

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

 

[bctt tweet=”God is faithful, and He will not give up on us. Take your requests to Jesus. Ask Him to teach you. He is always able and ready as long as we are willing. -Jennifer Ueckert:” username=”incourage”]

Let’s Be Planted by the River

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How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
The wicked are not like this;
instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Psalm 1 (CSB)

When hard news comes, when difficulties happen, we can be tempted to think that if our life is a Farmer’s Market the stalls will now be empty. There will be only fragile leaves chased away by the wind. All the glory and color will be gone. But the reality is this: As long as we are joined to Jesus, there will be fruit in our lives — from the time we are sneaker-wearing teenagers to silver-haired senior citizens blowing out one hundred candles on the cake. In other words, there will always be miraculous things coming to and through us.

The fruit in our lives will thrive. That doesn’t mean nothing hard will ever happen or we’ll get everything we want. But it does mean that God’s plans for our lives are invincible when we stay connected to Him. Life’s droughts and storms can’t stop Him from bringing forth His miraculous work in and through us.

So let’s cling to God’s promises. Hold tight to His heart. Have strong roots that burrow deep into His affection for us. We will not falter. We will not fail. We will not lead a barren life at any age. Yes, we will be women of beauty, growth, and blessings as long as we live. Because we are trees planted by the river of God’s love, and it will never run dry.

This excerpt is written by Holley Gerth, published in the (in)courage Devotional Bible and in Summer (in) the Psalms: A 40-Day Devotional Journal. 

This summer, we’re journeying through the book of Psalms. Join us! 

Click here to purchase the printed Summer (in) the Psalms 40-Day Devotional Journal for just $7.99! This beautiful printed journal, only available on Amazon, includes forty days of reading selections from Psalms, twenty full devotions from the (in)courage Devotional Bible, and daily reflection questions with lined pages for journaling your answers. This journal is an all-inclusive, one stop shop for your Summer (in) the Psalms journey!

We can’t wait to spend Summer (in) the Psalms with you.

Get your Summer (in) the Psalms Devotional Journal today!

 

[bctt tweet=”Life’s droughts and storms can’t stop Him from bringing forth His miraculous work in and through us. #inPsalms2020 -@holleygerth:” username=”incourage”]

What If I Don’t Want To?

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Amidst the shelter at home quarantine, I received a very interesting question via my Instagram. Even though it’s been months and we’re all in different parts of the country with varying plans for re-opening, many will ponder different aspects of her vulnerable question.

“Jen, I know you are passionate about creating community and biblical hospitality, but what if after this quarantine, I struggle to find my place again? I’m finding I don’t like small talk and I don’t miss ‘lunch with the girls.’ I love my family and realize that being with my kids is my passion. I don’t really have interests outside of them, but that’s not really fair to them is it? How do I step back into the social/friend stuff when I don’t even want to?”

I wrestled through my response to her because I’ve been struggling too. The longer we are living distant lives, the potential for complacency becomes greater. The quarantine has already been going on for months so statistically, we’re forming new habits. Habits filled with distance. Habits designed to measure personal safety and comfort. Habits that systematically make us question how our day’s actions will impact our health, ourselves, and our families. It’s just a fact.

So when one of the most important aspects of my personal ministry’s foundation encourages women to step forward in absolute freedom to love on others by gathering and “just opening the door,” my heart grieves amidst this “must shut the door” lifestyle.  Understanding there’s never been a more important time to ward off the loneliness and isolation that play havoc in a woman’s soul, please know that I have been on my knees in prayer for you — all of you.

Community is of critical importance, especially in these times. We are created for it, and so I’ve spent time brainstorming and petitioning the Lord for wisdom as to what that will look like in the future. I know we can’t stop gathering. We can’t stop pursuing one another — it’s more important now than ever before.

Yet the ongoing social, emotional, and even spiritual implications in which COVID-19 manifests itself varies dramatically for each family unit whether we are single, married, with kids or without. We need to give grace to ourselves as we figure out our new normal because it will take time. There’s no “one tried and true way” for us to recover from a pandemic, yet the wisdom of Scripture is quite straight forward when it comes to the topics in her question — mentoring and discipleship (for her, parenting) and practicing hospitality.

While there are lists of how-to’s on these topics, we must first understand why we’re commanded to pursue others and then model it. God’s Word provides the answer, and His Word doesn’t change amidst varying social climates.

First, I celebrated this precious mom and the tremendous job she’s doing of teaching His Word to her children. As you know, that is no small feat. To find such joy and to place such a priority on discipling her closest neighbors – her own children – speaks to the critical importance of Deuteronomy 6:7 —

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

When we talk and then walk out His commandments throughout the day, we bring Him glory. But it can’t stop there. We must talk and walk out our faith for those inside and outside our homes.

Every day I pray, “Bearing the Imago Dei, being made in Your image, Lord, show me unique ways that I can point others to You today.” I remind myself, “Jen, this isn’t about you or your comfort,” and I embrace 1 Thessalonians 2:8 —

Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

So whether it’s for our neighbors or co-workers or our children, my desire is that they witness a woman whose faith embraces the fullness of God’s unending, overflowing, abundant, and perfect love. I pray they’ll know our lives have been so changed, that we can’t help but tell others about what the Savior has been up to in our lives. For the Schmidt family (and I hope yours too), we can’t help but invite others into our home (or gather at a park) or pursue those who need encouragement. We know the story of His goodness and are compelled to share it. We don’t always get this right. In fact, sometimes we fail miserably, but we continue to step forward asking Him to use our mistakes.

So to the mom who asked me that question, I didn’t give her any tips on how to step back into the social/friend stuff, but instead, I challenged her to understand the why. We welcome and invite others into community because we’re driven by the overarching principle to love God, love His will, and point others to His glory.

I challenged her to ask these same questions as if the quarantine never occurred. Would she struggle with the same issues? Would you? Do you?

As she wrestled through my response, her very real and raw answer spoke to me.

“You gave me a lot to think about. ‘We are commanded to,’  you said. Still soaking that in and really needing to ponder what you said to me.”

As always, my friends, grace on, guilt off. But ponder with me what your new normal will look like, and let’s keep pursuing others, compelled by the love God has for us.

 

[bctt tweet=”No matter what your new normal will look like, let’s keep pursuing others, compelled by the love God has for us. -Jen Schmidt (@beautyandbedlam):” username=”incourage”]

Let’s Spend Summer (in) the Psalms!

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This summer will be different. It already is, isn’t it? Parks and pools and beaches are closed. We may be distancing from our most vulnerable friends and family members. Our kids finished school at home, and now many of their summer camps and programs are cancelled. The world is still in tender turmoil. We’ve never had a season like this before, and many of us are looking for solid comfort, truth we can cling to, and reminders of peace and hope.

With that in mind, we can’t think of a better place to camp out this summer than in the book of Psalms.

The psalms are known as fertile ground for connecting deeply with the heart of God. They are beautiful examples of what raw, honest, transparent communication with God looks like — hopes and fears poured out, hearts surrendered, lives transformed. Through the psalms, we see God’s love and compassion and unshakable commitment to His people. We see God’s nearness, God’s with-ness.

We also discover we are not alone. We join with other sojourners in this life of faith as we learn the language of both praise and lament. When we’re tempted to think that no one else could possibly understand what we’re going through, let’s open the book of Psalms, because it’s there we are sure to find a friend.

So, join us as we journey through reading forty psalms this summer!

All you need is a copy of our Summer (in) the Psalms 40-Day Devotional Journal. This beautiful 127-page journal is just $7.99, only available on Amazon, and includes a 40-day reading plan with selections from Psalms, daily reflection questions with lined pages for journaling, and twenty corresponding devotions from the (in)courage Devotional Bible printed in full. (You do not need an (in)courage Devotional Bible to participate; the journal includes the full devotions.) For less than $8, this journal is all you need for an impactful summer Bible study.

Here’s how we will read through Psalms this summer:

  • We will be reading five days a week for eight weeks. That feels more do-able to us than forty days straight. We’ll start reading next week, and you can definitely go at your own pace — no pressure or judgment!
  • On Sundays, we will share a select psalm from the week right here on the blog, so tune in for those posts.
  • On Thursdays, join Community Manager Becky Keife and other (in)courage contributors for video conversations as they discuss what they’re learning in that weeks’ selected Psalms! You’ll be able to watch on our (in)courage IGTV and Facebook pages, and the closed caption versions will air on YouTube. Links will also be added to this page as videos go live. Dates and contributors subject to change. We hope you’ll share what you’re learning from the Psalms too — use hashtag #inPsalms2020, and see what others are bringing to the conversation.

That’s it! Relaxed, no pressure, and still deeply impactful. Gather a group of friends together (safely distanced of course, or even on a video call!) and spend the Summer (in) the Psalms together. Let’s not add more tasks to our to-do list. Rather, let’s make space for the ones that matter most, bring us closer to the One who created us, and spend time reflecting on His heart. Join us for a Summer (in) the Psalms!

Get your Summer (in) the Psalms 40-Day Devotional Journal
and join us today!

 

[bctt tweet=”Want to join me for a summer Bible study? Let’s walk through the Psalms this summer with @incourage! Get the details here:” via=”no”]

What Does Courage Look Like Now?

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Over a decade ago I sat in front of my computer staring at a blank screen, trying to decide what to say. Finally, the words came to me, and I wrote, “Be courageous and write in a way that scares you a little.”

I’d spent the last few months dreaming and planning with my (in)courage co-founder Stephanie Bryant and now the site was almost ready to launch. We’d spent many hours praying and imagining what this community could become. Back then we talked about it like God’s beach house — a place where you could put your sandy, dirty feet on the table, laugh late into the night with your friends, and hear God’s voice perhaps clearer than anywhere else.

We’d reached out to writers and invited them to be part of the adventure. The yes responses had enthusiastically come in, much to our amazement. Now on this particular day, I was crafting a letter to the original contributors to help them write their first post.

I thought a lot about what I wanted to say to them. Most publications back then were still telling their writers to hold back, sound the same, don’t share too much or get too personal. But that’s not what I sensed God wanted from us. So instead of rules and guidelines, I told them, “Be courageous and write in a way that scares you a little.”

That line became one that we repeated to each other through the years. DaySpring recently created a journal with that quote on the cover. It’s sitting on my desk now and with all that’s going on in our world, I’m thinking again about what courage really means — not just for writers but for all of us.

Be courageous and write in a way that scares you a little.

When I said “be courageous” over a decade ago, I meant dare to put yourself out there. What does that mean now when life looks like social distancing and staying at home? Thankfully, I don’t think walls get in the way of courage. Even if we can’t open the door to our homes, we can still open the door to our hearts. Even if we can’t go the places we want to, we can still go where we’re called. Even if we can’t get together, we can stick together.

I first wrote those words to writers, but I’d like to say them to all of us today. Just change the phrase to what it looks like for you now.

Be courageous and help in a way that scares you a little.

Be courageous and parent in a way that scares you a little.

Be courageous and work in a way that scares you a little.

The reality is we’re all afraid right now. But there’s more than one kind of fear. There’s the kind that comes from external circumstances, like COVID-19. But there’s also the kind of fear that we experience when we choose bravery, when we do hard things, when we discover an inner strength we didn’t know we had. I want us to embrace that kind of fear.

Why?

Because people need what you have to offer more than ever before.

Even if you can’t change all the world’s problems, you can still change one life at a time.

And if you do just one small, unseen thing, it’s still enough to make a difference.

I extended an invitation to the original writers of (in)courage all those years ago. I’m extending a similar invitation to you, the (in)courage community, today:

Let’s be courageous and love in a way that scares us a little.

Are you with me?

Holley loves helping writers so she created a course, Be a Kick-Butt Writer by Friday, to give you clarity, confidence, and courage. The world needs your words of hope and encouragement more than ever before.

 

[bctt tweet=”Even if you can’t change all the world’s problems, you can still change one life at a time. Let’s be courageous and love in a way that scares us a little. – @holleygerth” username=”incourage”]

The One Thing You’ve Got to Know If You Messed Up

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Six new baby kittens were born on our Iowa farm, down in the shed, next to an old TV set that hasn’t worked in years.

I like to think of our newborn kittens as accidental therapists. I’m often in need of a mood adjustment, so I come out to the shed several times a day and creak open the door, certain that I’ll find my smile somewhere inside. Kittens are great perspective shifters, living in the moment as they do — always chasing the fun or plotting mischief, with food breaks in between.

As much as I enjoy our kittens, they inevitably bring a mix of frustration and heartache to my life.

First, the frustration.

While impossibly cute, kittens are also furry little goblins with zero etiquette and a high sense of self. They knock things off the shelves of the shed. They ignore my stellar pet-parenting. Yesterday, a kitten named Dave peed in the cat food, even though I’d specifically trained him to use the litter box.

Second, these kittens bring heartache. Quite often, a kitten will mysteriously fail to grow. It will wander off to a corner, curl into a ball, seal its eyes shut, and die. We’ve been on this farm for nearly two decades now, and every kitten holds a bit of my heart. There are always tears when we dig tiny graves for tiny animals.

Still, I love these kittens – with a reckless, unreasonable love – even though I know they will break my heart. Even though I know they’ll misbehave. Even though they act like they don’t need me. Even though they think they are little gods running the show.

The other day, as I was walking back up the hill from the kittens’ shed to our house, a truth bomb dropped into the center of my soul. It felt as if God were talking right to me with these words: “Now you know how I feel.”

I couldn’t get over the truth of it, rolling over me with a ferocious and holy warmth. I couldn’t get over how God just keeps on loving us like He does, how He actually enjoys us, how He creaks open the door of our lives, and in some weird way, He actually delights in us.

I mean, here we are – people who routinely break His heart. We surely frustrate Him. We think we are little gods running the show. We misbehave.

But He keeps on creaking the door open, keeps on loving us.

That’s the one thing we’ve all got to know if we’ve messed up lately.

In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul makes a long list of things that, on their face, look like the sorts of things that would keep us from receiving the love of God: sin, trouble. Highs, lows. The thinkable and the unthinkable. But Paul writes, “Absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (Romans 8:39 MSG).

The most liberating truth in all the universe is this: Jesus is absurdly and ravenously in love with us. He is for us.

He is for you!

You might turn your back on Him, change your mind about Him, stomp your feet at Him, or run away from Him. But He will never, ever leave your side.

You might fall, stumble, trip, fumble, sin, grumble, and make a general mess of things. But He can’t not love you.

He made a way back, a way up, a way out, and a way in. He came for you, all the way to Earth to rescue you. And He’s not giving up on you now.

Stand with me in this moment, on that patch of grass between the house and the kittens’ shed, with the sun warming our backs. And let God drop that truth into your heart. Hear Him tell you how He loves you with a reckless love.

And nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand in the way of it.

 

[bctt tweet=”Look for the signs of His love for you and hear Him tell you how He loves you with a reckless love. -@dukeslee:” username=”incourage”]

Darkness Is Not Dark to You, God

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You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Psalm 139:5 (NIV)

When our children wake up in terror at night over a bad dream, when death comes to take our loved ones away, when depression overwhelms like a heavy blanket, we want to be held. We want to have someone rub our backs and hold our hands. It’s a comfort to be surrounded by love, to be known and understood without having to explain ourselves.

Psalm 139 is full of those promises — that before we even speak, God knows our thoughts and hearts (v. 1-6), that no matter where we go, God’s Spirit is with us (v. 7-10), and that darkness will not swallow us up because darkness is like light to God (v. 11-12).

Perhaps you’re there right now, walking through an endless tunnel with no light at the end. Take heart and hold onto this promise today: Even in the darkest places, God knows me fully and is with me completely.

 

[bctt tweet=”Hold onto this promise today: Even in the darkest places, God knows me fully and is with me completely. #promiseoverpanic” username=”incourage”]

Where Do We Go From Here?

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Sadness. Anger. Heaviness. Confusion. Fatigue. This is what we’ve been feeling recently. This is what we’ve been hearing when we ask friends how they’re doing. Processing what’s happening in our world right now isn’t easy, and we’re guessing you’re wading through a tumultuous sea of emotions too.

For many of us, there’s also a feeling of helplessness. What should I do now? Where do we go from here?

Two weeks ago, five women from our (in)courage staff and writing team gathered to process together recent events and the deep-rooted history of injustice in our country. If you missed that community conversation, watch it below (or click here for a closed caption version). We know you’ll be encouraged!

Since then, we — your (in)courage staff and writers — have been listening, reading, learning, and lamenting. We’ve been asking each other hard questions and sharing our collective experiences to help one another. We’ve been praying, wrestling, examining our own hearts, minds, and lives. For some of us, that looks like taking steps to raise awareness or to heal our own racial trauma. For others, that looks like growing in our understanding of the trauma and prejudice we’ve never had to endure.

We are all asking God for help to be willing and ready to do what we need to do.
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But this is not the work of one or two weeks. Racism in America won’t change because people hold a sign or have one hard conversation or post a black square on social media.⁣
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We’ve got to keep leaning in and asking God to give us eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts ready to do the hard work of undoing prejudices and racism in our own hearts, our families, our communities, our churches, and our country.

Here at (in)courage, not all of us are experts in anti-racism education or racial justice, but we are sisters in Christ willing to link arms. We want to continue listening when it’s uncomfortable, learning when it’s hard, and seeking to love a little more like Jesus every day.

We also wanted to share with you a collection of resources that are helping us in the process. 

Find our list of anti-racism resources here.

This collection has been gathered by the (in)courage contributors. It is certainly not an exhaustive list. There are SO many good, helpful, needed resources and voices out there. We encourage you to do your own research too. But if you’re asking yourself, Where do I go from here?, we hope you find these resources as starting points for your learning.

We’re all on different parts of the journey. The way forward is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but together we can cling to this promise:

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Psalm 25:9 (NIV)

Though we rightly feel sad, angry, confused, and weary, we are also women of courage! We are committed, resilient, hopeful, and surrendered. We are prayer-warriors and difference-makers, so let’s pray this prayer together:

Lord, help us.
Lord, make us humble.
Lord, teach us your way.
Lord, let it begin with me.

 

[bctt tweet=”Our prayer for this journey: Lord, help us. Lord, make us humble. Lord, teach us your way. Lord, let it begin with me.” username=”incourage”]

How Long, Lord? How Long?

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How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 13 (NIV)

Do you hear the despair in David’s prayer? The agony and longing? The exhaustion and pain? And perhaps you’re there too — at the end of yourself, with no energy left in your bones. It might even feel like too much to pray, and all you can do is lean into the groans of the Spirit to hold you up.

When you have no more words to say, when all you can utter is “How long, Lord?”, when the impossible stays impossible, let’s surround one another and be carried by each other’s prayers. Today, let’s ask for God’s mercy and help together.

How can we pray for you?

Please leave a prayer request in the comments and then pray for the person who commented before you.

 

[bctt tweet=”When all we can utter is ‘How long, Lord?’, when the impossible stays impossible, let’s surround one another and be carried by each other’s prayers.” username=”incourage”]

What Esther Teaches Us About Standing Up to Racism

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This past week a memorial service was held for George Floyd, a forty-six-year-old image bearer of God, who died after a police officer put a knee to his neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed face down.

Friends and neighbors affirmed that “Big Floyd” was a man of God with a heart of mercy for the most vulnerable. Floyd’s death has quickly become a symbol in our country of police brutality and racial injustice.

My heart grieves for his family, especially his six-year-old daughter, who will grow up without her daddy. I can’t help but think about my own three daughters who buried their daddy in a very different context when they were two, five, and eight. Our family knows the grief journey well.

My heart aches over the injustice and racism that continues to pervade our country decades after the civil rights movement. This triggers my own experiences of racism as a woman of color. I can never fully understand, but I feel deeply for my Black brothers and sisters who have repeatedly been treated as less than.

My heart burns with lament and questions: “How long, O Lord? What should we do?”

I find myself searching the pages of Scripture for guidance. The story of Esther is one of those stories that has often inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and take courageous steps. However, it wasn’t until recently that I realized Esther’s story provides a model for all of us on how to respond specifically to racism.

Esther was an orphan, a Jewish girl mentored and raised by her older cousin Mordecai. Despite her humble background, God provided a platform and position that enabled Esther to raise her voice during an important moment in history.

Esther is taken into the palace to be a part of the king’s harem. Because of her beauty and her character, the young Esther wins the king’s approval and is chosen as queen. Following Mordecai’s advice, she keeps her birthplace and ethnic background a secret.

While in the palace, the king’s highest adviser, Haman, unfolds a plot to annihilate all the Jews. Haman’s racism against the Jews festers and grows. He finally convinces the king that it’s in the king’s best interest to destroy all of the Jews throughout the kingdom.

When Mordecai receives word of this decree to kill all the Jews, he immediately goes into mourning and lament. He sends a rally cry to Queen Esther and urges her to approach the king and beg for the lives of her people.

Let’s reflect on five ways Esther responded to this decree and Haman’s racism:

First, Esther took time for prayer and fasting. The text tells us that she battled fear (Esther 4:4), but she took it to God. She was not reactionary but moved intentionally to prayer before moving forward.

Second, Esther gathered community. She urged Mordecai to assemble the Jews and to have them fast and pray with her (Esther 4:16). The Jews in Susa and her female attendants joined her in corporate fasting. She did not act by herself but rather leaned on others to gain spiritual strength.

Third, Esther stepped out of her own comfort and safety to take strategic action. She was not allowed to approach the king in the inner court unless she was summoned. The penalty would have been death for her, but she decided to pursue the king anyway. She risked her own life for the greater good (Esther 5).

Fourth, Esther spoke truth to the king and Haman. She could have chosen to keep quiet and to hide her heritage, but she decided to speak up for her people. She used hospitality to appeal to the king and Haman her enemy by inviting them to a banquet. At the table, she revealed her ethnicity and the predicament of the Jews (Esther 7:3-4).

Fifth, Esther leveraged her platform and position for the sake of others. Esther had a special role as a beloved queen. She had the ear and favor of King Xerxes. This privilege opened the door for her to expose Haman’s racism and ultimately save the Jews.

Friend, every one of us is uniquely designed and equipped to stand up for justice. God has given you a circle of influence and a voice that can be used in this world for His glory and to help others flourish. 

Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.
Esther 4:14 (CSB)

We can learn from Esther’s response when she faced racism. She was deliberate, not reactionary. She did not give into pressure. Instead, she went before God and allowed Him to guide her steps. Esther was an ordinary woman whom God used in an extraordinary way because of her willingness to obey His leading. She was an ambassador for justice for the vulnerable.

There is no guidebook or five-step plan to what we are all facing today, but we can go to prayer and God’s Word to seek wisdom and discernment. Esther’s story reminds us we must start with prayer before we move to response and action.

When we take time for personal reflection, the Holy Spirit can reveal our next steps. That may look different for each one of us. God might call us to use our voices to write or speak up. He may call us to do some deep work learning about our own ethnic identities and racist tendencies. He may call us to march or sign petitions or seek ways to reform our country’s systems. He may call us to care for those who are suffering.

In the quiet and in community, Esther cultivated courage and confidence for what was ahead. The name Esther means star in Hebrew. May we all be like Esther and collectively light up the night sky.

What response is God calling you to “for such a time as this”?

 

Dorina has a new devotional book, Walk, Run, Soar, that will be released in Fall 2020. Sign up for her Glorygram here and get all the insider details about this exciting new project!

 

[bctt tweet=”Every one of us is uniquely designed and equipped to stand up for justice. #antiracism #racialjustice -@dorinagilmore:” username=”incourage”]

Regaining Your Sense of Peace

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I’m almost embarrassed to admit what prompted me to set foot in a grocery store again after two months of home delivery. It wasn’t increased feelings of security about entering public places or statistics about a decrease in COVID-19 cases in my area. 

It was queso — pure and simple. 

The queso my family loves doesn’t appear on Costco’s site for home delivery, and believe me, I check every time I place an order. It was when my desire for queso overwhelmed my fear of going into the store that I put on the required mask (my first time) and ventured inside for the hour before closing on a Friday night.

What did I find? More queso than I’d ever seen on the shelf (I tried to explain to a passing employee that this was because it wasn’t available for home delivery) and a stronger sense of peace than I would have thought possible a month or two ago. 

I roamed the store looking for special treats for my teens. I restocked the ice cream bars I’d become fond of in the last month. I bought plants for the small raised bed my children and husband built for me on Mother’s Day. 

I spoke to everyone because it made me sad the last time I was here when people seemed afraid of each other. 

The mask kept me from touching my face (which seems to be a problem for most of us), but I removed it as I walked out of the store. I’m careful, but I no longer clean our groceries like a surgeon sterilizing scalpels before an operation.

Regaining my sense of peace has come slowly, bit by bit, in stages. It began on the night I wrote about in my last post, when I had done everything I could and knew it was time to trust God to do the rest.

Recently I spent a spring afternoon sitting on the screened back porch of a friend’s new house. She moved the week before everything started shutting down and was ready to spend some time with friends. Four of us had a lovely afternoon of laughter and face-to-face conversation in place of the active Marco Polo app chat we had relied on recently. 

The next week those friends and I began a Bible study and also my regular book club met, both on the same day. That weekend my husband and I and our three teens gathered with three of our older children and their children, my sister and niece. It felt good to be with our people again. 

When my teens wanted to visit one of our older sons and his family, who live two states away, I realized out-of-state travel was still beyond my comfort zone. Eating in the car is one thing, but how easy would it be to find a bathroom? We met in the state between us and although I was anxious in the beginning, we always had access to what we needed. By the end of the trip, I’d regained a little more of the peace my spirit craved. 

Each step — increased trust in God, time spent with friends and family, traveling further from home — has subdued my unease and helped to restore my calm.  

I don’t live in a bubble or doubt the virus is real. My mother-in-law had it and has recovered and an employee at the manufacturing facility my husband manages tested positive and has now tested negative.

I think God expects us to use the good sense He gave us — I take vitamins, try to boost my immune system and protect my gut health, avoid large crowds, and sanitize my hands when needed — but His Word reminds me He doesn’t intend for us to live in fear.

I may not escape COVID-19, but I refuse to be enslaved by the fear of it. 

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

How are you now and how has your outlook on COVID-19 changed with time?

 

[bctt tweet=”God’s Word reminds us He doesn’t intend for us to live in fear. -@DawnMHSH:” username=”incourage”]

When I Doubt My True Worth, Lord Remind Me

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My friend had dropped off a little orchid plant for me. It’s so tiny, the vase and plant only stand seven inches tall.

I’ve never bought orchids for myself before, so I was amazed seeing how the petals just stay open and don’t fall off like they do on peonies or roses I usually get.

“Look, guys!” I said to my husband and two boys, eleven and fourteen. “I’ve never seen flowers blooms last so long!”

“Are you sure it’s real?” my husband said, taking a closer look. “It’s too perfect.”

“Yeah!” my two boys chimed in. They went over to gently touch the plant to confirm it. “The petals . . . the stem . . . too smooth. It’s plastic!”

“No,” I protested. “They’re real!” But to no avail. They boys were convinced it was fake.

I looked closer and finally found something to prove these orchids were, in fact, living and organic. “Look here,” I pointed to a spot on one leaf that wasn’t so easily seen. “It’s nicked here. You see, it is real. They would never put a flaw in something fake they would sell.”

The flaw was proof that it was indeed real.

Let’s remind ourselves of this truth. Because when I bump up against my worries, anxieties, or imperfections, which are showing up often during these extreme shelter-in-place conditions, I can forget that God makes beautiful things out of us.

God doesn’t call us to sell a fake gospel but to tell a living, organic story of how we are loved just as we are. Our flaws bring us closer to others who need to know that God is with us in the brokenness and even in our hiding.

I recently visited the party store to get some balloons for my son’s birthday. His party was canceled due to COVID-19, and I wanted to do something to cheer him up.

When I got to the store, there was no one there except for the young woman behind the counter. I asked her what colors she’d recommend for “instant happy,” and as we picked some together, I asked how she was doing with the coronavirus challenges and what helped her to feel better.

“I love to read,” she said. She shared how she was reading The Diary of Anne Frank, and when I asked why, she answered, “She inspires me because she chose to live with hope, hiding for years though she was facing death everyday.”

I sensed a story behind her words, so I shared something vulnerable, something that once made me feel flawed. “You know, I’m not Anne Frank, but I do understand hiding. When you doubt your worth. When I was growing up, I hid my heart in order to survive, to be strong. It was the only way to get through an emotionally traumatic childhood. I hid my heart.”

Her eyes began to well up, emotions speaking a thousand words as her beautiful face broke into a flow of tears. As we cried together, I asked for the story behind her tears, and she shared about her hard times as a single mom to her daughter. I listened and shared how God helped me learn to stop hiding my heart.

I gently reassured her, “You are worth loving. You are worth everything good and  beautiful. God loves you so much. You are precious to Him.” I asked if I could pray for her, and we stood there in the party store, two strangers now connected by our vulnerability, our flaws.

Friends, everything hard you’re going through isn’t wasted. The suffering you are enduring will be the loving bridge for others to experience God’s peace and rest. 

So, don’t hide your scars from others during these times of trial and suffering. It’s our flaws that invite others to share their stories and know that God’s love is real and unconditional. Jesus Himself resurrected with visible scars, and it was the one thing that convinced Thomas He was real, even more than His words.

So, when you feel isolated and discouraged, when you feel like your flaws should be hidden from others, know that you are beautiful in God’s eyes.

Lord, when I doubt my worth, remind me that when I can’t see ahead, I can trust You. When I feel afraid, I have a friend in You. My flaws are beautiful to you, and they show the world how much You love me. Thank You that my suffering is not wasted and that You will use it all for Your glory. Amen.

How is God reminding you of His love for you?

For more reminders of God’s love for you, sign up for my Beloved Newsletter (here). To encourage your heart, listen to my podcast The Toll of Stress & How You Can Stress Less (here). Subscribe to Bonnie’s Coffee Break For Your  Soul podcast on iTunes, Spotify or listen here.  Join the newsletter here.

[bctt tweet=”The suffering you are enduring will be the loving bridge for others to experience God’s peace and rest. -@TheBonnieGray:” username=”incourage”]