When You Need to Change Your Expectations This Christmas

When You Need to Change Your Expectations This Christmas

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After moving my mother-in-law into an assisted living facility this past spring, my family helped organize, clean, and empty her home. Let me tell you, this activity teared us right up. From 4th grade through high school, my husband lived in this home. Since 1993, when David and I began dating, this home welcomed me with the widest arms. Our kids — military kids who’ve lived in several states and across one ocean — knew this home to be a fixed point of familiarity amidst constant change. Chock-full of good memories, this home has been a source of comfort and consistency for all of us, and we were rather tender to the thought of telling it goodbye.

After a few interior updates, David and his siblings put the house on the market. This fall, it sold. In one way, it was a relief and a gift to know the house would bless another family as it had ours. In another way, it was a bigger loss, one that solidified the fact that we won’t spend any more holidays or regular days in that home.

While I love Colorado and the life we’ve made here, I occasionally still get homesick for the towering oak trees and tumbling creeks of the Oklahoma prairie where I grew up.

And now, I miss a home that’s no longer in the family.

I’m someone who builds strong attachments to people, yes. But I’ve learned I’m a girl who builds strong attachments to places as well. I can find myself so homesick for a place it makes me heartsick. With Christmas less than a month away, I feel this all the more acutely.

Because of this difficult change and a dozen others recently experienced, I know I stand at the end of an era.

While I’ve undoubtedly seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living over the past several years, it’s also been several years of arriving to December feeling like I’ve finished a year-long marathon. Losses have built up over time, and this Christmas season, I’m tired as can be.

Last year, I wrote about how much I’d love for Real Life to take a vacation during Christmas. After all, it interferes with my Christmas “Land of the Sugar Plum Fairies” magic and merry. This year, I don’t need Real Life to take a vacation as much as I need my own Christmas expectations to take a vacation. Because your girl here? She can shoot some sky-high expectations on experiences and people. Most of all, I pile them on myself and then get mighty disappointed when my expectations meet my human limitations, especially at Christmastime.

In light of this, I’m intentionally mitigating my expectations this season. That is, with so much life change, I’m changing and minimizing what I expect this Christmas so that I make room to celebrate – –to enjoy! — my actual Christmas. Here’s what that looks like for me:

1. Choosing my family’s favorite traditions and letting the rest go. When big changes are the way of life, I typically double down on my traditions because they are touchpoints of familiarity amidst the flux. At this time of year, I’m typically inclined to bake a dozen different treats. I want to watch the Village Seven Presbyterian Christmas Concert. I want to decorate to the hilt. I want to see every neighborhood’s Christmas decorations. And truly, I love doing every one of those things — but they aren’t the most important things to my family.  Because of my decreased bandwidth this year, there will be less doing of every extra tradition to make room for more enjoyment of the traditions we choose to do.

2. Expecting a situation or two to arise this Christmas that won’t be ideal. Jesus, our Good News of Great Joy (Luke 2:10), had newly arrived on this earth when King Herod tried to hunt Him down and end His life. From the beginning, the enemy has tried to ruin Christmas. In one way or another, why wouldn’t I expect him to try to do the same for followers of Jesus like me? I’m onto him, and I refuse to allow bad behavior or bad circumstances to steal my Christmas joy.

3. Lighting a candle in the evening. I’ll light a candle every evening to remember and celebrate that not even the threat of death or death itself can extinguish the hope found in the Light of the World (John 8:12). I will do this as a reminder to keep looking up to Jesus instead of out toward my circumstances.

If you’re in the midst of a lot of change or loss, I hope you feel comfortable letting Christmas come to you as it is, without heavy expectations. Because here’s the easy-going truth behind the season: Jesus came down to us. Jesus came down to encourage, not to exhaust. He came to lift our burdens, not lay on expectations. What’s more, Jesus arrived to mighty tired parents, so bringing our tired selves to the manger is perfectly appropriate.

Dear one, may your own Christmas expectations of experiences, of others, and of yourself be minimal and manageable. And may your heart prepare Him room by simply expecting Jesus this Christmas: Christ around you, Christ in you, and Christ always, always for you.

 

Listen to today’s devotion below or on your fave podcast app!

What Bringing My Kids to Church Shows Me About Jesus

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I don’t dread bringing my kids to church, but I do view it as an adventure each week.

Who’s going to “whisper” the loudest during worship? How many times will that one kid “need” to go to the bathroom during the sermon? What will my toddler do this time?

Oh man, do I ever have stories of kids in church.

I grew up as the daughter of a church choir director, sitting in the choir loft each week. My siblings and I could tell church tales too. And for years and years, my husband was on church staff and worked during services, which left me on my own with two, then three, and eventually four kids in the pew on Sunday mornings. Those mornings always made me sweat.

There was the time that my two-year-old threw down her brand-new Bible and broke the binding, declaring (loudly) that it was too heavy.

There was the time I couldn’t find one of my kids… and eventually located him behind the front desk emptying the receptionist’s candy bowl as fast as he could.

Then there was the time my three-year-old hollered, “I want to goooo!” at an especially quiet moment in the middle of the service.

And many, many stories in between. I get sweaty just remembering the diaper blowouts mid-worship, the nursing in the pews, the hauling of toddlers and babies in car seats, and the diaper bags full of snacks and wipes. This picture was taken on my daughter’s baptism day and perfectly sums up how it felt to bring little ones to church during those early years.

My husband is no longer on church staff so he joins us once again in the pews, our kids are one step older now, and yet so far it’s still kind of stressful getting everyone to church. Whether it’s clothes that aren’t quite right, shoes that have gone missing, forgotten Bibles at home, zipping in late to Sunday School, monitoring the stand up/sit down parts of the liturgy, or shushing the toddler who does not wish to be confined to a row any longer. . . church can be a lot.

Thankfully, our church home welcomes the chaos of children, and it is so helpful to me as a mom when I remember that we’re welcome there, just as we are, in the fullness of who we are (because my kids are really good at being FULLY themselves). I fight with my inner monologue that prefers perfection, even though I know it’s but an illusion. So I breathe deeply. I find another toy or snack for the toddler. I encourage the bigger kids to stand at the proper times. I clap loudly when they play with the youth bell choir, grin broadly when they close each service by playing rhythm instruments along with the closing hymn, and give thanks the whole time that Jesus too welcomes us in all of our imperfection, loudness, questioning, and fidgeting.

He modeled it in so many ways but with kids, He was the best:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
Matthew 18:2-5 NIV

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:13-14 NIV

Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He invited the children to His side.

He’d been talking to the grownups for days, outside, likely in the heat and sweltering sun. He and His disciples had traveled from Capernaum at the tippy top of the region of Galilee, down to the region of Judea. This was an approximately 118-mile journey. . . likely made on foot. This was no small trek and yet in the Scriptures, it’s reduced to a single sentence in Matthew 19: “When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.”

When I am hot and sweaty, dirty and dusty, tired and hungry, the last thing I want to do is invite more children into my personal space. Listen, even when all of my basic needs are met and my baseline stress level is at a good place, I still don’t always want extra children over in my home or at my side.

And yet here is Jesus, who has been teaching and traveling and trekking many, many miles. . . and He reaches out for the kiddos. He has spent time answering difficult questions from difficult people, remaining calm and direct when the Pharisees tried to trip Him up, and giving answers not everyone was ready to hear. And in the context of all of that, He didn’t get stressed out by the presence of children. He welcomed them.

He’s been working hard, without a break, and then invites the kids to come up front.

When we invite children anywhere, we invite stickiness and crumbs. We invite sippy cups and loud whispering. We invite clapping during silence and heads thrown back to gaze at the ceiling. We invite questions and interruptions. We invite their parents and caring adults. We invite messes and challenges. We invite noisiness and clamor.

Kids only know one way to show up — just as they are. They bring their true selves to every situation and that’s exactly how Jesus invites us to approach Him.

So I’ll keep bringing my kids to church, making space for them just as they are — wiggles and yells and big feelings and all — even when it makes me sweat. I’ll breathe deep and remind myself that church makes space, and Jesus showed us how to do just that. May we do the same for one another.

 

Listen to Anna read her own devotion today over on the (in)courage podcast or on the player below!

Thriving as Nobody in an “Everybody Needs to Be Somebody” World

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In a world where everybody is told they need to be somebody, lying flat on my back and unable to move was not a position I considered optimal for thriving. In fact, with my eyes on the blades of an equally immobile ceiling fan, the only thing I could do was trace dust.

It wasn’t the first time I’d found myself in this predicament. At the age of forty, anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction) sent me to the emergency room for rescue. Despite extensive tests for my immune system’s repeated allergic reactions, no one could name my specific disease. Instead of answers, doctors gave strong medications in attempts to mask my symptoms. They also suggested lifestyle changes that might help . . . but also might not.

Chronic pain, inflammation, and neurological issues continued to be part of my life until, at age fifty, I contracted mononucleosis (a viral infection), further adding to an already complicated situation. My unstable immune system failed to control the virus, leaving me with chronic Epstein-Barr. The virus caused chaos in my body and led to weight gain, which only further strained my relationships, because my “able-ness” left me feeling purposeless, invisible, and misunderstood. This, in turn, ultimately isolated me from the ones I thought would see me and care.

Friends commented, “What happened to you?” and “You used to be so beautiful.” Others sent well-meaning messages on social media, offering to purchase things they thought to be “solutions” to my situation. I was no longer the somebody they used to know. To be honest, I was no longer the somebody I once knew. I no longer recognized myself . . . and whenever I looked in the mirror, all I saw was a nobody.

My gaze locked onto the dusty fan as words wet with tears spilled out to God: If this is how I have to live for the rest of my life, then I don’t want to live at all!

This confession shocked me and shook me to my core. Did I really believe my worth hinged on ability? Would God see me as unlovable and worthless if I couldn’t perform to a specified standard? Had I embraced the notion that “doing” made me a lovable somebody and that an inability to do made me an invisible nobody?

Even though I didn’t believe these things, this was the posture I’d unintentionally been living from. I wasn’t trusting God for peace or preservation. Instead, I was living in fear and believing that others would find me unfit, consider me unreliable, and use my weaknesses against me.

In my debility, God reminded me who He was and what I meant to Him. He whispered, “Rest, my child. I am with you. Because of the cross, you have everything to live for.”

I sensed my heart shift as my view expanded beyond the lifeless fan. I began to see my inadequacies in light of God’s ever-present mercy, which enables me to thrive beyond mere survival — even, and especially, when I cannot stand on my own. My worth rests not in my significance or strength but in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. There is nothing I need to do to be found worthy of His love because the cross proves His devotion and my value — even amid suffering.

A world divided into somebodies and nobodies is an illusion. Our uniqueness doesn’t fit into categories like well and unwell, useful and useless, or somebody and nobody. We are not our outward appearance or our ability to perform. When God made us, it was not to parade us for optics or to consume our usefulness — it was so He could be near us in love.

God doesn’t view His creation as garbage, and neither does He view weakness as a reason to walk away from His creation. In God’s economy, being incapable does not equal being a nobody.

He saw my frame, writhing in the unexpected and unknown, and He did not use it against me . . . as the world is apt to do. Instead, God saw it as the perfect posture for me to receive the grace and strength He alone possesses.

Another decade has since passed, and I still hear the taunting comment (What happened to you?) every time my physical appearance shifts or when illness interrupts my plans. I manage long periods of wellness and symptom relief with medication, for which I’m grateful. Death is less frightening, opinions less volatile, and the love of Jesus is more precious than ever before. 

I often wonder if someone will use my weakness, my unpredictable illness, against me. However, those who judge or categorize me are not holding the pen that writes my story— God is. And, to Him, I was and always will be somebody He loves.

Sisters, the same is true for you.

 

Listen to today’s devotion below, or wherever you stream podcasts!

Don’t Discount Your Influence

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I remember the first time someone told me I was a leader. My brother-in-law sat me down, looked me in the eyes, and said three words that ultimately changed the course of my life: “You’re a leader.” 

I looked at him in disbelief and possibly laughed in his face. I could think of at least a dozen reasons why he was wrong. The most obvious: I wasn’t leading anything. 

But leading an organization or a ministry or a family isn’t what makes you a leader. What makes you a leader is the calling Jesus placed on your life, when He commissioned you to go and make disciples. 

You are a leader. If no one has told you before, let me have the honor of being the first. I wish I could sit you down on a couch, the same way my brother-in-law did with me, look you straight in the eyes, and tell you: 

You are a leader.

You have a sphere of influence. You have people in your life, in your neighborhood, in your apartment, in your workplace, in your family, who need you to tell them about Jesus. 

We can easily discount our spheres of influence for a dozen different reasons. I have my reasons, and you have yours. But Jesus has equipped and called you to make disciples of all nations. You are called by Jesus, and the same power that the Father used to raise Jesus from the dead is at work in you. With the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, you have what you need to lead.

It doesn’t matter if you know one person or one thousand. It doesn’t matter if you have a platform on Instagram. It doesn’t matter if you’re single or married, extroverted or introverted. It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman. You are called to lead people to Jesus. The people in your life are in your life on purpose. It’s not a mistake that you live where you live, or work where you work, or brush shoulders with the people you brush shoulders with. 

What if you began to realize that you have an influence on the people you know? What if you began to live your calling… to lead people to Jesus, and to make disciples? 

What I love most about evangelism is that it’s not up to us to save people – but instead, it’s us partnering with what the Holy Spirit is already doing in people’s lives. Jesus said the fields are ready for harvest, but the workers are few. People are ready to hear about Him; Jesus is calling you to tell them.

I still don’t feel like a leader. Even now that I’ve begun leading in a more vocational capacity, I often don’t think of myself as a leader. (Ask anyone who’s ever emailed me and they can tell you I’m not the most administratively gifted.) We can excuse ourselves from leading because we don’t “feel” like we think leaders should be. But you are a leader.

A grade twelve girl texted me yesterday. She’s getting baptized at our church on Sunday and she asked me to baptize her. I was floored. Tears sprang to my eyes when I read her text. She sent me another message that said, “It’s just that I really look up to you and I thought that would be cool.” 

I had no idea she looked up to me. What a gift to be able to help lead someone closer to Jesus.

You are a leader. Don’t discount your sphere of influence. You know and spend time with people who need to hear about Jesus. People who are longing for greater meaning, freedom, and truth in their lives. The answer to their longing is Jesus.

The fields are ripe and ready for harvest. Jesus said so Himself. They just need some workers. 

Live a life worthy of the calling Jesus has given you: to go and make disciples, to partner with what the Holy Spirit is already doing, and to help lead people right back to Jesus.

 

Listen to today’s devotion below, or wherever you stream podcasts!

And This Same God…

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10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

18 At the moment I have all I need — and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
Philippians 4:10-20 NLT

Imagine declaring with Paul’s confidence, “At the moment I have all I need — and more!” He didn’t write these words because his circumstances were easy, comfortable, or perfect. Rather, Paul was actively aware of God’s presence in His life, actively thankful for God’s provision through His people, and actively content whether He had little or a lot. 

Where might God be inviting you to be aware, thankful, and content today?

The same God who taught Paul “the secret of living in every situation” and who took care of him, will also supply all of our needs today! His provision won’t always look the way we hope for or expect, but we can trust God’s heart, His timing, and His sustaining love and grace no matter what we face. 

Amen?!

 

Cranberry Quick Bread + Welcoming a New Season

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We thought it would be so fun to share with you some recipes from DaySpring’s sister site, Mary & Martha! Our friend Nancy creates the most delicious, beautiful recipes each month for Mary & Martha, and we are super excited to bring some of them here to (in)courage. . . starting with this one, perfect for this post-Thanksgiving weekend!

The most wonderful time of the year is on the horizon, which means decking the halls is on our minds. We just celebrated Thanksgiving here in the United States, and we’re still working through the leftovers. We also can’t wait to celebrate the birth of Jesus; some of us may already have our trees up and stockings hung, while others of us are taking our time. Either way, with the hustle and bustle that often distracts us, a delicious recipe to help us pause is a must.

This beautiful and seasonal cranberry quick bread from Nancy C. is just the ticket for transitioning from fall and Thanksgiving to welcoming in winter and Christmas. It’s also perfect for gifting a neighbor, serving at a gathering, and freezing a loaf for later.

Friends, scroll down for the recipe and download a free printable recipe card!

Cranberry Quick Bread

DOWNLOAD THE FREE RECIPE CARD HERE!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 45-50 mins.
Makes one 8×4″ loaf.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 2 to 3 tsp. orange extract
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour an 8 x 4″ loaf pan; set aside.
  2. In large bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
  3. In small bowl, mix the egg, orange juice, melted butter, and orange extract. Add to the dry ingredients in the large bowl, stirring just until moistened. Fold in the chopped cranberries and stir until evenly distributed in batter.
  4. Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake at 350˚F for 45 to 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  5. Cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Then slice and serve—you can also serve slices spread with softened butter or cream cheese.

To get the beautiful and cozy look above, use the Mary & Martha Oven Mitt from the Love Baking Set, and set the bread atop the Table Talk Pizza and Flatbread Board. Visit the Mary & Martha site to browse the new winter catalog, find more recipes, and connect with a consultant to learn more and place your order!

 

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

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Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8 NIV 

God’s goodness isn’t something we are meant to simply acknowledge intellectually or believe theologically. Rather, God wants us to actively experience His goodness. 

“Taste and see that the Lord is good,” the psalmist encourages. It’s a call to engage our most human senses in order to recognize and enjoy our divine Creator. 

As autumn wraps up and winter is upon us, look for opportunities to taste and see that which reflects God’s goodness. Savor a warm mug of hot chocolate or bite into a decadent slice of pumpkin pie. Enjoy watching the snow fall quietly outside your window or the winter sunset along the horizon with streaks of gold, pink, and dusty violet. 

Let everything you taste and see become a reminder to turn in thanks to the Giver of all good things. Let His goodness compel you to seek refuge in Him. 

This article is from the archives and featured in the new Winter Everyday Faith Magazine.

The brand-new winter issue of Everyday Faith Magazine is now available!

With Thanksgiving barely over and Advent, Christmas, and the new year just around the corner, there is so much to celebrate and find gratitude in right now! In this new Winter issue of Everyday Faith, you’ll find uplifting stories, meaningful quotes, heartfelt prayers, practical resources, and tangible truths straight from God’s Word that will allow you to pause and reflect on the reason for the season. Be assured that every word, photo, resource, quote, and Scripture was prayerfully chosen to reflect God’s love for you in the everyday, mundane parts of life and the extraordinary, joy-filled moments too.

Everyday Faith magazine will help you know and share God’s love in fresh, true, and inspiring ways. Pick up your copy wherever magazines are sold and at DaySpring.com. This article is just one of many featured in Everyday Faith magazine, which, by the way, is perfect for reading on your lunch break, bringing to the school pickup line, or gifting to a friend.

And to help you do just that…

We’re giving away FIVE sets of magazines — one for each winner and one for them to give to a friend!

Leave a comment telling us to whom you’d gift a copy, and we’ll draw five winners*.

 

Listen to today’s article below or wherever you stream podcasts!

*Giveaway open to US addresses only, and will close on 11/28/23 at 11:59 pm central. 

Giving Thanks When Your Life Is Falling Apart

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It was two days before Thanksgiving when my life fell apart. The day started like any other, with the mad dash of getting kids ready for school and adults ready for work. In the middle of the chaos, just as I was about to head to the grocery store to buy everything we needed for Thanksgiving dinner, the phone rang. Within seconds, the doctor on the other end of the line told me the news I never thought I’d hear:

Michele, you have cancer.

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday, ever since I was a young girl helping my mother roast turkeys and bake homemade pies for our family and friends. I love the preparation, the gathering of loved ones, and the absence of commercialism (did I mention the pies?). While Christmas seems to be the pinnacle of most people’s calendar year, Thanksgiving has always been the highlight of mine.

Until cancer decided to show up and put a serious damper on things. As it turns out, pie can’t cure everything.

It’s been thirteen years since that Thanksgiving. By some small miracle, it is still my favorite holiday, even though cancer came back a second and third time in subsequent years, again during the Thanksgiving holiday. Maybe that’s precisely why it is still my favorite holiday. As a result of my suffering, I’ve learned a few things about the practice of Thanksgiving, including both what it is and what it isn’t.

When it comes to an attitude of thankfulness, the Bible verse often quoted around the holiday is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV): “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Thanksgiving is certainly a good way to approach life, regardless of circumstances. However, too often this passage is misunderstood and misapplied. We think we must give thanks for all circumstances. How exactly are we supposed to give thanks for the death of a loved one? Or for a terminal diagnosis? How do we rejoice in an abuse of power or the trafficking of children? To be thankful for these circumstances feels not only impossible but callous and inhumane.

I have good news for you: We’re not commanded to give thanks for all circumstances but in all circumstances. And there’s a huge difference between the two. So what can we be thankful for in the middle of circumstances that are breaking our hearts? Here are a few reasons I discovered for Thanksgiving, even while spending the holiday in a hospital ICU bed:

  1. No circumstance, no matter how horrific, will ever separate me from God’s love for me. (Romans 8:35-39)
  2. Even though I may feel alone, God will never leave me nor forsake me. (Deut. 31:6, Hebrews 13:5b, Matthew 28:20)
  3. God sees my suffering and He carries it with me. (Genesis 16:13, Matthew 11:28-30, Mark 6:34)
  4. Even as He weeps with me, He will ensure my suffering is not wasted. (Romans 8:28)
  5. And one day He will make sure I never weep again. Only joy! (Revelation 21:4)

Thanksgiving in seasons of abundance comes cheap. It’s still important, still a worthy expression of gratitude for what we’ve been given. But Thanksgiving when we have little to celebrate comes at a cost. But the payout is trust and peace.

“The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden,
her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”
Isaiah 51:3 (NIV)

The ruins are real and mustn’t be ignored. We are not called to dance on graves as if the life we mourn wasn’t actually lost. Instead, we see the God who meets us at our graves and looks with compassion on all our ruins. When we see the love in His eyes and remember His promise to bring gardens from graves, we find a different kind of Thanksgiving, one not tied to our circumstances but wrapped up in a Savior for whom we can sing even while we weep.

Written by Michele Cushatt, originally published on (in)courage on November 23, 2022.

 

Listen to today’s article at the player below or wherever you stream podcasts.

When Loneliness and Light Are My Only Companions

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I recently read an article about all the animals that go through metamorphosis and found myself comforted and amazed in ways I never imagined I would be.

Who knew Creation is filled with amazing metamorphosis stories beyond the butterfly (including my own)? Who knew about the immortal jellyfish, the crown-of-thorns starfish, and the flatfish?

From puberty to perimenopause, most of us have been taught to brace ourselves and just get to the other side of things.

Maya Angelou said, “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

I’m struck with our collective fascination over the “end product” and “arriving.” We are obsessed with happy endings and stories that tie up. We want accounts of triumph, not loss. And yet, from the moment we are born, we are growing older and changing; we are losing what was and receiving what will be. Did you know that your skin replaces itself with a new layer every 27 days? According to scientists who are smarter than me, it’s just layers of skin, but the cells in our bodies are in a constant state of change. With time, we lose elasticity and melanin, and we lose friends and family. Things begin to stretch and ache, and yet, we try to keep moving towards an elusive destination. Yet what time in life on earth is free of change except for death?

The last five years have knocked me down, and while it seems like everyone around me has recovered from the pandemic and other things we went through collectively, I have found myself on the other end in an ongoing journey of grief and back-to-back seasons of loneliness. I still grieve the ways community changed, the friendship break from over a year ago that still aches in my body, the wrestling of faith communities, and the struggle of someone I love that never seems to change no matter how I pray or what we eat. I hate telling my friend that I’m still in the same place when we meet to walk or sit and talk over coffee.

Has everyone moved on? God, how long? Will I survive this dark cocoon?

Here’s what I am learning through tears: we are held in the dark.

Light is easy to miss when we are bathed in it. But in the dark, we cling to the Light in an unsurpassed way.

Maybe the longer these unraveling changes last in the dark, the more I fear I will lose the Light. But John wrote, “The Light shines into the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it or put it out” (John 1:5, First Nations Version).

I meditate on these words and think about them in new ways. Instead of the need to prove I have access to Light by way of triumphant stories or a plastered-on smile, I can rest in being held by the Light wherever I am.

In the dark, we are not only found by Light, we come to know Light in a new and deepened way. Maybe that’s the point after all. Because if we never spend time in the dark and resist our own transformation and all the darkness that accompanies it, we may find ourselves among those who bathe in, identify with, and proclaim the Light, but never truly know it or are changed by it.

In my grief, the Light stays with me.
In my changes and aging, the Light accompanies me.
In my bitterness, the Light soothes me.
In my unknowing, the Light provides a path.

When I feel stuck in a dark cocoon, Light warms me.
When I fear losing the Light, Light holds me.
When I think things will never change, Light shines anyway, unbothered.
When I feel alone in the changes, Light never leaves.

 

Listen to today’s devotion on the play below or whoever you stream podcasts. 

 

Here Is Your Permission Slip to Release Your Fear of Food This Holiday Season

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Content warning: This is a personal story that contains the subject of eating disorders.

I’m a Christmas person.

By that, I mean that I’m a Christmas-tree-up-in-the-first-week-of-November kind of person. I need my Taylor Swift Christmas album playing, and my hot cocoa with a candy cane. My virtual fireplace on YouTube is all queued up . . . and I already planned an Elf watch party. And I am proud. I love every part of this season — it’s just too joyful not to. 

I’ve not always been a Christmas person, though. To be honest, the last few years I really dreaded the entire holiday season. Not for a lack of festive spirit or a disbelief in all things merry and bright, but because of the gut-wrenching fear that my body might change.

Family dinners, baking cookies with my little sister, putting candy canes on the tree, and watching Mom make her famous chili were hardly opportunities for connection and joy. For me, they were moments ripe with possibilities for the numbers on the scale to change — possibilities for me to become even more disappointed with the woman reflected in the mirror. 

Last fall was the first time my (now) fiancé joined my family for Thanksgiving weekend at Grandma’s house. We were both working for the church we attended, so we got up early that Sunday morning to begin church set up — Trevor on the stage and I with the children’s and nursery items.

As we spent the first couple of hours of our Sunday preparing the space, I felt a pool of anxiety start to flood within me. My mind raced with memories of the previous Thanksgiving — the not-yet-free-from-an-eating-disorder Thanksgiving. That year, I had put on a perfect play so that no one could tell how ashamed I was. I’d tried so hard to not offend my grandma when I didn’t take slices of her homemade pies.

After church, Trevor and I got in the car and made the short drive to my grandma’s house. Picking at my fingernails, I confessed to Trevor, I don’t know how this is going to go. I told him how it’d been so long since I celebrated Thanksgiving without being consumed with thoughts of not wanting to consume food. I told him how it’d been so long since I gathered with my family and ate a meal without carrying the immense weight of body shame.

The tears began to creep into my eyes.  

What if I don’t know how to not have an eating disorder on a day like this? What if Thanksgiving drags me right back to the place I’ve worked so hard to free myself from?

Trevor and I prayed over my fear, asking God to help me release it. Then we prayed over my mind, asking that God would protect it. It was then and there that I began to develop an anthem — a list of truths about God, myself, my body, and food — that I could repeat to myself whenever fear threatened to come in again:

  • My worth does not come from what I try to control.
  • My health is more than a number on a scale.
  • My beauty is far deeper than my skin and my body.
  • I don’t need permission to eat what is on my plate.
  • I don’t need to apologize for eating what I choose to eat.
  • I don’t have to receive comments about my food, habits, or body.
  • I can create boundaries — with family and with friends.
  • My value comes from Christ alone.
  • God already calls me good.

If I was sitting with you right now at your favorite coffee shop, I’d lean in close and tell you this: Your Creator has promised you an abundant life — a life of joy and freedom and peace. And anytime you believe the enemy’s lies about your body, you’ll miss out on the joy, freedom, and peace that has been purchased for you with the blood of Christ. 

Breathe in the truth. Let it seep down into your lungs and run through your blood. Let it shimmy into every inch of your body until you know it to be true, until you are living in the truth that your Creator speaks over you.

In Christ, there is freedom from all insecurity, eating disorders, and body shame.

This is your permission slip to release your fear of food this holiday season. Freedom is for you — wave your flag and sing your anthem.

At (in)courage, we believe in making space for all stories and experiences. With heartache, we recognize the reality of eating disorders. With hope, we share this story — proclaiming the help and healing that can be found in community and Christ. We are here for you, in prayer and in the comments below, should you wish to respond to this guest devotion. If you are in a crisis and walking through an eating disorder, please seek help from a medical or mental health care provider. You are not alone. There is help.

Are You Ready for a Change? Add a Morning Gratitude to Your Day

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In a fast-paced and demanding world, it can be easy to get caught up in the frenzy of daily life and overlook the simple blessings that surround us. But as Christ-followers, learning to express our gratitude to God is so crucial to our relationship with Him. Living a life of thankfulness and gratitude brings a measure of positivity and joy into every aspect of our lives – it nurtures our relationship with God, but it also encourages a positive mindset and enhances our well-being overall! The new book by Pray.com, Morning Gratitude: Inspiring Moments to Start Your Day, will help you embrace a habit of daily morning gratitude to the Lord. It takes just a few moments each day, and He will meet you right where you are as you commit to connecting with Him in a deeper way.

Read on for an excerpt from Morning Gratitude:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Matthew 5:9 KJV 

While relationships can sometimes be difficult, we can be grateful that God has provided His peace for our lives – and He says that His peace surpasses all our human understanding could ever comprehend. Peace with God and peace with others—that is what His Spirit can bring to our lives as we ask Him into our relationships. When other people are unkind, when they say or do things that upset you, that break your trust or even your heart, being a peacemaker, as Jesus asks, may seem impossible. But when you confess to the Lord all your hurt, all your anger, and all your pain, He will come into your heart and help you to forgive, to live in peace with Him, with others, and even with yourself. 

What blessings of peace have you enjoyed? What relationships has God restored in your life? Think of the delight that has come into your heart because of peace. In what past situations did you reach out to turn anger into agreement? With an attitude of gratitude, thank the Lord for helping you resolve past conflicts and for the fruits of joy and growth that have come from those relationships. Thank Him for the times you spend free from fear and hostility. And thank Him for the future reconciliation in your current broken relationships.  

Remember that God has called you to be a peacemaker. He wants you, as far as it is possible for you, to live as a peacemaker, bringing restoration and calm to all places where there is discord and disagreement. As you work toward living amicably and in unity with everyone you can, God will also work peace into your soul and spirit. Through obedience to God’s Word and a desire to bring harmony to all your relationships, you can become a peacemaker! 

God is present today, and He is listening to you as you pray for peace in every area of your life. Thank Him for His help and the ability to resolve conflicts. Ask Him for creative solutions to mend old bridges and build new ones, connecting people with each other and with God. Pray for peace in all your interactions; peace with your family and friends; peace at work with your superiors and your colleagues; peace in every area, every aspect, and every relationship in your life. And give thanks to God when He brings it to pass. 

Prayer: 

God, I praise You for Your peace, which surpasses all understanding. Your peace overcomes all circumstances, all fear and doubts. God, I worship You for giving me the ability to be a peacemaker. I praise You for calling me Your child. I know that You love me and that You have already provided a resolution to all conflict. Amen. 

—

Do you find yourself lagging in the morning, with little to no energy? Or maybe not being able to bounce back from life’s demands as easily as you once did? Are you ready for a change?

Adding a morning gratitude practice to your everyday routine will energize you and make you more resilient. It’s even said that it can help you live longer! Morning Gratitude: Inspiring Moments to Start Your Day will help you obtain the optimistic outlook you’ve always wanted while building a habit of thankfulness that will bring you true joy and peace every day for the rest of your life. 

With 100 entries that include a Scripture passage, devotion, written prayer, and prompt of praise, this companion for mornings with God will jumpstart your day in a positive way. As you reflect on His Word, you’ll start to notice His blessings all around you, giving you the energy and strength to face each day with joy and courage. 

Whether you’ve been following God for a while or are just starting your journey, the daily readings in Morning Gratitude will help you to align yourself with the promises of God and build deep lines of communication with your Creator.

Pick up your copy of Morning Gratitude: Inspiring Moments to Start Your Day today, and leave a comment below to enter to WIN one of five copies*!

Pray.com serves millions of Christians worldwide with powerful life-changing messages. Pray.com prioritizes prayer by bringing users world-class faith-based audio content and is a private social network for prayer with daily devotions, original content, and stories narrated by inspirational celebrities.

 

Listen to today’s article at the player below or wherever you stream podcasts.

 

*Giveaway open to US addresses only and closes at 11:59 pm central on 11/24/23.

Three Simple (But Helpful) Things to Remember If You’re Struggling to Be Thankful

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Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite days of the year because it brings together people I love, spectacular food, and a tradition rooted in gratitude. And bonus: aside from harvest décor throwing up all over Hobby Lobby and Michaels, it’s not an overly commercialized holiday.

But, this year, I’m conflicted. The world feels a bit apocalyptic right now; merciless wars, political acrimony, mass shootings, and daily uncertainties are too many to name. Closer to home, my world has felt a bit apocalyptic, too. My sister was diagnosed with brain cancer. My husband’s job was eliminated after a company buy-out. My daughter-in-law is battling pain that doctors can’t quite figure out and relieve. My daughter quit her job to solo travel across South America for five months (which I would think is remarkable if it were your daughter).

Globally… personally… it’s all too much sometimes. Trials and tribulations don’t respect a calendar or care when it’s time to celebrate a holiday or special occasion. When life brings big and hard things all at the same time, despair, fear, helplessness, and pain conspire to demand our attention. And when we take our eyes off God and focus on the circumstances around us, we’ll sink just like Peter did when he took his eyes off Jesus.

So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him…
(See Matthew 14:27-31 ESV)

When Peter’s focus shifted from Jesus to his circumstances, he sank. But Jesus was right there to rescue him. What a relief that He does the same thing for you and me!

Without faith in God, His goodness, and the miracle of the gospel, I honestly don’t know how people get out of bed in the morning. The weight of the world is too heavy to carry alone. But that’s because we aren’t supposed to, right?

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus implores us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (NIV). And in Galatians 6:2, the body of Christ is encouraged to carry one another’s burdens. Over and over, I’ve learned how walking out life’s difficulties with others is so much better than all by yourself.

And, when I finally trust God with the exhausting, sad, and complicated situations I’m facing, there’s room for peace to quiet the noise.

In tumultuous times, we’re quick to run to God, and, thankfully, He’s always waiting with open arms. But, when all is going well, sometimes we forget how much we need Him, don’t we?

While it’s not always easy to be thankful when life gets hard, gratitude is an essential aspect of our faith. In the seasons when I’m struggling, it helps me to remember a few simple things to lead me to genuine and heartfelt gratitude:

Remember God’s Unchanging Character: When you find it challenging to be thankful, remind yourself of God’s unchanging character. Throughout the Bible, God is described as faithful, loving, and compassionate. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Even amid adversity, God remains constant. Trusting in His character can give you the confidence to be thankful, knowing that He is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).

Remember God’s Past Faithfulness: Reflect on the moments in your life when God has been faithful. Recall answered prayers, unexpected blessings, divine appointments, and God-winks. Maybe even create your own “altars of remembrance” in your heart, celebrating God’s past provisions. This kind of intention will encourage a heart of thanksgiving, even during difficulties.

Remember What Your Future Holds: It’s easy to become fixated on the trials of this world and lose sight of an eternal perspective. As believers, we are promised an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). Our present struggles are temporary, but our future in Christ is secure. Keeping this eternal perspective in mind can help us endure hardships with a heart full of thanksgiving, knowing where our true treasure lies.

Struggling to be thankful is normal for most of us at some point in our lives. But because of Jesus and what He’s done for us, we have the tools to overcome this challenge. By remembering God’s unchanging character, His past faithfulness, and our eternal inheritance in Christ, we can cultivate a heart of gratitude even in the face of adversity. In doing so, we not only honor God but can also find peace, joy, and strength to navigate life’s difficulties with heartfelt thankfulness. And not just the week of Thanksgiving.

 

Listen to today’s devotion below or on your favorite podcast app!

Do the Wildflowers Worry?

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22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you — you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:22-34 ESV

It turns out worry isn’t a 21st Century issue. Two thousand years ago, Jesus’s disciples were prone to worry too.

Worry is rooted in control. Essentially we’re asking the question, How am I going to make this all work out? How am I going to put food on the table for my family?  How am I going to buy new sneakers for my kids whose feet keep growing at an alarming speed? 

The questions we fret over today are based on very real needs, but worry blocks our awareness of our very real God. 

This is what Jesus was telling His friends: See Me! See My Father! See how We care for the birds and the flowers and the sheep. We delight even more in taking care of you. 

If worry is wreaking havoc on your heart and mind:

  • Reread today’s passage from Luke 12:22-34.
  • Write down 3 things you’re worried about today.
  • Write down 3 ways you’ve seen God take care of you in the past.
  • (Share in the comments if you’d like!)
  • Praise God for His faithfulness and that He is in control… so you don’t have to be.

Sisters, you are so loved.

 

The Loving Work of Biting Your Tongue

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We were hiding from the heat, sisters in solidarity against vacationing in places that felt as hot as the surface of the sun. While most of our friends lounged by the pool, living their best lives with umbrella drinks and beach reads, the four of us sought refuge in the blessedly air-conditioned hotel room. In the privacy of that room, we could finally admit that we were melting and a little bit hangry (hot + angry) about it.

As we commiserated and cooled off, our conversation quickly turned to deeper topics.

I can still see us in that room, two of us on each of the two beds, facing each other and slowly getting comfort- able. I’m not sure how we got from “I cannot deal with this heat” to “Some spaces aren’t safe for people who look like me,” but we did. Of the four of us friends, one was Black and one was Asian American. As they began to share their lived experiences in the world and on the internet, I was stunned.

Listening to their stories, I was shocked both by what I was hearing and learning and by my own reaction. At one point I sat on my hands in an attempt to remind myself to stay quiet and listen. I’d never before taken the phrase “bite your tongue” as literal advice, but as I felt objections rattling in my throat, I wondered if I would need to actually do it.

Internally I screamed, “But I’m not like that!” I longed to say, “I would never treat you like that—and I’m so mad that someone did!” Words of encouragement and empathy tend to be my friendship superpower, but somehow I knew this wasn’t the time. Somehow I sensed that my expressing rage on my friends’ behalf wasn’t what was needed. It wouldn’t help, and it might even hurt.

I sat in that hotel room in the summer of 2017, listening to my friends talk and carefully asking follow-up questions. It took restraint that I don’t normally exercise, discernment and discipline that can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit. And not only did God make it clear that I should talk less and listen more but He also helped me hear something new, something heart-changing.

When I heard my friends say that they didn’t feel welcome in communities that included very few people of color, my gut reaction was to yell, “But you are welcome! I promise! I want you there! You should feel welcome there!” I don’t think that reaction was completely wrong, but it was coming from a place of ignorance. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, but from that conversation and many more since then, I began to learn.

I’ve learned that I really don’t understand what it’s like to be a person of color in the United States. I’ve learned that having and loving friends from different cultural backgrounds doesn’t mean I know what it’s like to walk in their shoes. And as much as I’ve wanted to say, “We’re all the same!” and move on, glossing over our differences downplays the pain and struggle and the beauty of those very differences. I’ve learned that just because I’m not overtly racist doesn’t mean I don’t have biases or that I don’t benefit from a system rooted in racist assumptions and misunderstandings about people who are different from me.

I’ve learned that I have a lot to learn, and I won’t be able to do that if I open my mouth and shout, “Not me!” and “Not every . . . !” each time the issue of race comes up. I’ve learned that feeling things in my heart is a good start, but it doesn’t actually help my sisters and brothers of color. Well-intentioned emotions aren’t enough.

We have to actually sit down together and listen. Sit on your hands if you need to. Bite your tongue if that’s what it takes to stop yourself from interjecting or refuting what you’re hearing, and just listen. I’m not saying this is easy, my friend. As a white woman, it’s not easy for me to open up my mind and heart to recognize the injustices in this world, things that I simply wasn’t aware of or unintentionally turned a blind eye to. It’s not easy to sit in the tension of what the world is like and how I wish it would be. And I can only imagine that for my sisters and brothers of color it’s not easy to vulnerably share their stories of encountering racism. It can’t be easy to trust that you’ll be believed and not questioned, fully accepted and not secretly rejected.

Sitting together on hotel beds or around dining tables, in conference rooms or church pews and really listening to others whose experiences are unlike our own isn’t easy. But easy isn’t the point. The point is connection. The point is loving one another well.

This is an excerpt by Mary Carver from Come Sit with Me.

Learning, growing, and relating with people whose stories are unlike our own isn’t always easy or comfortable; but it is possible… and worth it!

In Come Sit with Me: How to Delight in Differences, Love through Disagreements, and Live with Discomfort, you’ll find stories from 26 (in)courage writers who bravely go first with their hard, awkward, sometimes heart-wrenching stories to give you real hope for the miraculous (and mundane) ways God works.

Listen to Mary Carver read her entire chapter, The Loving Work of Biting Your Tongue, on this bonus episode of the (in)courage podcast!

 

Don’t Stay on the Mountaintop

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Like many, I think the best part of fall is watching the trees change color, and in my opinion, there is no better place than Colorado. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the great flat state of Texas that I think Colorado is stunning. While we were visiting recently, my family and I decided to do the train ride to the top of Pike’s Peak. I knew we would be able to see all the beautiful trees showing off the fall colors up close on the way up the mountain.

My face lit up with joy as I watched the gold leaves of the Aspen dance in the wind and glitter as the sunshine hit them. There were rows and rows of evergreens that were hundreds of years old but as we got closer to the top, we noticed there were fewer trees. The conductor explained that this is called a timber line or tree line where the trees stop growing because of the harsh conditions of the altitude. The top of the mountain is not meant to sustain life for long periods of time, so there isn’t much up there.

As we got out of the train, the cold wind immediately hit our faces. It was much colder than I anticipated and my kids begged to go inside the visitor center for hot chocolate. But I stood outside and looked at the majestic beauty of nature all around me. It brought me to tears. I took a few pictures to remember the moment and then rushed inside the visitor center myself because the altitude change was starting to hit me.

The train ride up the mountain took one hour but we only stood on top of Pikes Peak for twenty minutes. Mountain tops are magical and wonderful, you truly feel like you’re on top of the world for a brief moment. But it is meant for a brief visitation; we’re not meant to live on the mountaintop.

In Matthew 17, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a mountaintop where Elijah and Moses appear. In this moment Jesus reveals a glimpse of His glory. It was surely an awe-inspiring moment! “Peter exclaimed, ‘Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials — one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah'” (Matthew 17:4 NLT).

Leave it to Peter to speak honestly from the heart like a child. It was as if Peter was saying, “Jesus, this is the happiest and most magical place on earth! Please, can we stay here on the mountaintop?”

But God Himself interrupts Peter with a voice from the cloud that is so magnificent that they all fall on their faces!

We crave the mountaintop experiences but we cannot create our homes there. Life is not lived in the greatest moments or the most exciting parts of life, they are simply a part of our life.

There is a famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr where he states these words: “He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

The mountain top he refers to is what we see in Scripture over and over as the meeting place where people met with God, from Abraham to Moses to Elijah to Jesus. This was a place where God would speak to His people to propel their faith for their future.

We all need mountaintop moments where we experience the miraculous provision, power, and presence of God because we live in hard and challenging realities most days. Dr. King’s mountaintop experience fueled the fire deep within his soul to keep fighting for justice and equality for all. It gave him faith in the midst of adversity and struggle, which is why he could say, “I am not worried. I am not fearing any man.”

Like Peter, we often try to pray away the struggles and the suffering; we long to live on the mountaintop. It’s easy to see God on there. There is good all around for us — majestic 360 views — and it’s easy to glorify God when surrounded by beauty. But down below, where we actually walk out life day by day, it is a little harder to see God.

What if the purpose of the mountaintop moment was not to simply post something pretty on social media, but to teach us to look beyond the now and to stir up our faith in Him for the future? What if, like Dr. King, we are supposed to draw strength from our mountaintop moment to keep going in the valleys?

Take time today to reflect on the mountaintop moments of your life, and recall God’s faithfulness. I pray that they will give you vision and faith for the mundane moments of today and the valleys of tomorrow.

 

Listen to today’s devotion below or wherever you stream podcasts!

 

Our God, Our Healer

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When you hear the word healing, what comes to mind? This word may bring amazing testimonies to mind or it may bring painful or disappointing memories. My perspective on healing today in my 40s is vastly different than it was in my childhood.

I grew up Catholic in the Bible Belt of the United States. I don’t remember the priest in my church or the nuns in my school ever talking about healing in our lives or God being a Healer. I don’t remember any of the adults around me talking about healing either. I do remember there being lots of conversations about people being sick or dying. There were no real answers or directions attached to those conversations.

Now, I was never a sickly child, so healing for myself was never at the forefront of my thoughts. My grandmother, who I lived with, became sick beginning in my junior high years through high school. She saw numerous doctors and was taking numerous medications. That was the way it was. She passed away during my freshman year of college. During those same years, several family members also passed away.

I never thought anything more than that this was the circle of life. People are born. They live. Then they die. I never knew that people being healed was an option. But I do now. I’ve witnessed it!

With this being a month where we tend to focus on giving thanks, I thought it was fitting to share some of the things that make my heart overflow with gratitude! I am beyond grateful that Jesus is our Great Physician who came to forgive sinners and heal the sick (see Mark 2). I am beyond grateful for the fact that we are healed by His stripes. Jesus was beaten and bruised for our healing. His shed blood paid for our complete healing . . . body, soul, and spirit.

As I’ve gotten older, my body has changed. Things that I never dealt with have all of a sudden become concerns. One of those concerns has been my knees. I’ve never been athletic, but I do love to work out and dance. So, it was a devastating blow in 2018 when I was diagnosed with patella tendonitis in both of my knees. It impacted my life in almost every area. I couldn’t run or work out the way I used to, or kneel to pray at church. It hurt to walk up the stairs to my townhouse and to simply stand up after being seated. But, God!

This past May when I reconnected with my friend Angela, that all changed. She was ministering at an event and ended by praying for people’s needs. I had been prayed for over the years with small glimpses of hope. So, I asked for prayer for something else, but she ended up praying for another woman’s knees over the microphone. I dialed in and told God I received that same healing for myself. And a miracle happened. My knees immediately felt better, but the next day my knees felt amazing! They’ve felt amazing ever since! Five years was a long time to be in pain, but I know God was with me every step of the way. And now I’m so grateful for these six months of healing! 

I can’t think of healing and gratitude without thinking about Chans. A couple of summers ago, my friends experienced something that no one ever wants to experience. Alida and Chans and their teenagers Rylee and Carter were driving to church on a Sunday morning. Chans was in the passenger seat. One minute he was talking and the next minute — nothing. He passed out and then his heart stopped. But, God! On their way to the hospital, the kids got word to the youth pastor and he got word to the whole church. In the middle of the service, we stopped everything and prayed for God to bring life back to Chans’s body. The kids still wanted to come to church, so their grandparents picked them up from the hospital and brought them. Again, we stopped everything we were doing, surrounded them, and prayed for life and strength and God’s resurrection power. The Lord heard and He answered. He restored life to Chans’ body! The doctors had no explanation as to why His heart stopped or why it started again. He stayed in the hospital overnight and went home the next day.

That was the greatest miracle I’ve ever witnessed.

You might be thinking that your loved one didn’t get the miracle you were expecting or praying for. These testimonies are simply to build your faith as to what the Lord can do. My miracle was progressive over the years. Chans’ was in a moment. But, I am still waiting on other miracles along with some of my closest people. I’ve also lost loved ones over the years — but they are fully healed in the presence of the Father. I grieved the deep loss with the confident hope that I will see them again one day.

I’m sure the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5 had all but given up the little hope she had. But, when she heard Jesus was nearby, she tried one more time to find her healing. She persisted and pushed past the crowd just to touch the hem of His garment. She knew the Scriptures in Malachi that said there was healing in His wings, which was the hem of His garment. She believed His Word over the words of every doctor she had seen. She believed He was who He said He was and that He could do what He said He could do. When God moves, He does it wholly. Jesus also honored the woman’s faith and restored her back to her community after years of being isolated and rejected.

Oh that we would believe that today! Oh that we would believe that Jesus’s blood speaks a better Word! Healing is coming. Sometimes it doesn’t come in the way we expected or in the timing we planned on. But know that it’s coming.

Our God loves us. Our God is faithful. Our God is our Healer.

If you’ve experienced a miracle healing, I’d love to hear about it! If you’re still waiting on one, I’d love to pray for you!

 

Listen to today’s devotion on the player below or wherever you stream podcasts!