1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are doing."
A couple of weeks ago, there was some confusion dealing with some special food requests for my children while at school. Over the past two years, the pediatrician had written a prescription (for extra calories/fat) for whole milk for our triplets. We forgot to inquire about it again at this year's check up. When some comments were made in the line one day about not having the milk for them, the tensions began to rise.
I contacted the pediatrician to see if we were going to continue the whole milk another year. After I confirmed 2% was okay, I began to think more like a nurse than a mom. I am fully aware of the larger amount of food concerns for children these days (i.e. allergies, diabetic dietary restrictions, etc.). What a headache that must be for the food manager some days!
Then I began to think with my heart. What a thankless job that must sometimes be! So, I wrote her a thank you note and left it with the school nurse to deliver. I thanked her for accommodating our needs over the past couple of years. I acknowledged the difficulties and challenges that she must sometimes face. I told her that we noticed the work that it takes and that we so much appreciated how she was a part of a wonderful team of people who cared for our children while they were at school.
A couple of days later, I went to their school to have lunch with their class. I was in the line with them when the manager noticed me. She said something that I couldn't quite hear. As I made my way to the end of the line, she came out and met me. "I owe you a hug!" she said. We hugged, and she explained how her day was going horribly when she received my note. She said that it had lifted her up.
After this, I received an email notice from a Christian greeting card company, as I do once a week or so. This one in particular caught my attention. It was a reminder of the National Day of Encouragement. It also gave the Scripture for this devotion. That Scripture passage, though brief, spoke volumes to my heart. It very much described the story I shared above. And it also reminded me of how important it is for us to encourage each other.
The refrain to an older popular song comes to mind as I write this:
Lean on me, when you're not strong.
And I'll be your friend;
I'll help you carry on.
For, it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on.
While this doesn't specifically speak of encouragement, it does speak of the action/reaction phenomenon. We need to encourage and build each other up. You never know when you may be having a horrible day and stand in need of some encouraging words. Imagine what kind of a world we could have if we would only but lift each other up with encouragement and kind words?!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Letting Our Actions Show Our Hearts for Christ
James 2:14-17: "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, " but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (NIV)
What a multitude of material for writing I have been blessed with over the past couple of weeks! Our lives have continued to produce surprise after surprise, some of them not so good!
After recovering from an unplanned fall and ankle injury, I had some outpatient surgery. After I had recovered enough to get on our riding mower, I jumped on an opportunity to cut our long grass. The children enjoyed some much-needed outside time. But, it was takiong a bit longer than I wanted to complete the job. Lunch time had come and gone, and I was finally beginning to wrap things up. i was mentally planning what I could possibly fix for a quick lunch for everyone. Grilled cheese is fast, but oh no, we have no bread and no cheese! Time for a grocery trip. Back to lunch...Well, I figured pizza was the next big thing. We didn't really have the money to splurge, but the convenience was more important right now!
So, as I began driving the mower to the shop, I enjoyed watching our husband with one of our sons. As I came to a stop, Josh was laughing. He told me that Isaac had said that he wanted to go to Pizza Hut for lunch. I said that I was going to order pizza anyway, so why not?! The kids were all so excited at the idea that there was no fussing when told to take baths.
As we walked in, there were some credits on one of those claw games. And, of all the luck, Craig snatched a toy on the first or second try. Naturally the other three wanted something, too. So Daddy promised that if they ate a good lunch, they could each try to get a toy out of the game. With it being so late, they were starving and ate more than a good lunch. So, as promised, Daddy went to pay for our meal and get change for the game. He was gone for several minutes and returned with a stunned expression on his face.
He said, "I don't know who this guy is, the bald man in the blue shirt. Do you? Because I think our children need to go thank him. He just paid for our entire meal!" WOW!! The oldest three went to thank the gentleman while our youngest suddenly decided she was shy and stayed with me!
Josh found out that he was once a mayor in a Texas city. He had resigned due to a career change that required him to be gone a lot. He was travelling through Jennings on business when he stopped at Pizza Hut for lunch. He said that watching the six of us walk across the parking lot to get inside reminded him of his own family and touched his heart. he touched ours as well!
This event prompted me to write. I found the passage in James that reminded me of our day. While we were not technically without food, this man's actions eased our burden of paying for that particular meal. In his faith, he acted. I'll close with the chorus of a very fitting song:
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
If we live in faith with a heart for God, our actions will tell the whole world that we are Christians.
What a multitude of material for writing I have been blessed with over the past couple of weeks! Our lives have continued to produce surprise after surprise, some of them not so good!
After recovering from an unplanned fall and ankle injury, I had some outpatient surgery. After I had recovered enough to get on our riding mower, I jumped on an opportunity to cut our long grass. The children enjoyed some much-needed outside time. But, it was takiong a bit longer than I wanted to complete the job. Lunch time had come and gone, and I was finally beginning to wrap things up. i was mentally planning what I could possibly fix for a quick lunch for everyone. Grilled cheese is fast, but oh no, we have no bread and no cheese! Time for a grocery trip. Back to lunch...Well, I figured pizza was the next big thing. We didn't really have the money to splurge, but the convenience was more important right now!
So, as I began driving the mower to the shop, I enjoyed watching our husband with one of our sons. As I came to a stop, Josh was laughing. He told me that Isaac had said that he wanted to go to Pizza Hut for lunch. I said that I was going to order pizza anyway, so why not?! The kids were all so excited at the idea that there was no fussing when told to take baths.
As we walked in, there were some credits on one of those claw games. And, of all the luck, Craig snatched a toy on the first or second try. Naturally the other three wanted something, too. So Daddy promised that if they ate a good lunch, they could each try to get a toy out of the game. With it being so late, they were starving and ate more than a good lunch. So, as promised, Daddy went to pay for our meal and get change for the game. He was gone for several minutes and returned with a stunned expression on his face.
He said, "I don't know who this guy is, the bald man in the blue shirt. Do you? Because I think our children need to go thank him. He just paid for our entire meal!" WOW!! The oldest three went to thank the gentleman while our youngest suddenly decided she was shy and stayed with me!
Josh found out that he was once a mayor in a Texas city. He had resigned due to a career change that required him to be gone a lot. He was travelling through Jennings on business when he stopped at Pizza Hut for lunch. He said that watching the six of us walk across the parking lot to get inside reminded him of his own family and touched his heart. he touched ours as well!
This event prompted me to write. I found the passage in James that reminded me of our day. While we were not technically without food, this man's actions eased our burden of paying for that particular meal. In his faith, he acted. I'll close with the chorus of a very fitting song:
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
If we live in faith with a heart for God, our actions will tell the whole world that we are Christians.
Offering Praise and Thanks Despite Life's Hot Spots and Storms
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (NIV)
2 Corinthians 12:10 "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (NIV)
Malachi 3:2-3 "But who can endure the day of his coming? who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..." (NIV)
So...like most Americans, we are greatly feeling the money crunch. Pay cuts in our incomes have greatly impacted our household. But, we know that we are not alone in this area. Many of people in our country are facing situations like ours and so much worse. How easily we could become down-trodden.
Yet, what the Scriptures say is to praise the Lord in all situations. Through the good and the bad, God is always there by our sides. That in and of itself is worthy of our praise! WE ARE NOT ALONE!! Despite all of our hard times and difficulties, we have much for which to be thankful.
Personally, I am so thankful for my family. We have four miraculously healthy, beautiful children. We have a roof over our heads to call home. We have food to put on our table for meals. WOW! That is already so much for which to praise God! We have a beautiful church and a wonderful church family. And, we have the freedom to worship in our sanctuary and praise God, in the good times and in the bad times.
I have recently been through some of the hardest, darkest moments of my life. I began journaling my thoughts, my prayers, my fears, my joys. I began a diary to God. As I have come through those times and look back on my journal I realize it was at those lowest points that God's presence was felt the closest. When I surrendered and allowed myself to fully lean on Him, I found more strength. And despite still feeling down, I began to rejoice; I praised God. And what a blessing I gave myself by doing this.
I'm not saying that everything suddenly became all smiles and sunshine. I still had much to work through; however, I could praise God because He was there with me. I had sad parts, but I was able to see the good. I used that pain and hurt to grow...I grew closer in my relationship with Christ; I grew closer in my relationship with my husband; the two of us grew closer (as a couple) to God.
I don't feel that God caused these events that hurt me. however, as a dear friend once told me, God can make something beautiful from every situation. My friend also told me that those trials, "hot spots", were much like the heat that silver must endure while being refined. The refiner must hold the silver in the hottest part of the flame carefully watching so that it does not remain too long and become ruined. The refiner must keep a constant watch and must not remove the silver too soon either. And only when the silversmith can see his image in it is the silver refined and complete.
This analogy helped me so much. Those "hot spots" in my life were very painful, the very hottest of hot. And much like the silver, I needed refining. And, true to form, my Refiner never took His eyes from me. He remained vigilant in my refining process. And, once He again saw His image shining forth and reflecting from within me, my Refiner removed me from my "hot spots". How can we not praise a God whose promise is to always be with us?! How can we not offer praise for all He has done? How can we not offer praise for all He has not done yet? As I do in my everyday life, I found myself singing parts of songs as I wrote this. One chorus in particular rings true: "Blessed Be Your Name"
...You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be your name...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name!
The song says "my hear will CHOOSE...". It is our choice to praise God in the good and the bad. God gives us free will so to choose not to praise Him in the bad times is our choice to make. But, oh the glorious blessing that comes from choosing to praise Him at ALL times of our lives!
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from Heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God.
How true this chorus is! Our God is AWESOME and worthy of our praise. While He is all powerful, he is also all-loving. He never stops loving us. He is always with us, in the good and the bad. So, I encourage you to praise God in ALL things, in all times.
As I close, I'll leave you with one last set of lyrics by Casting Crowns ("Praise You in This Storm"). This song found a very special place in my heart when it touched my sister while she was caring for her son 2 1/2 years of age while he underwent cancer treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We all face "hot spots" or "storms" in our lives. What a storm to have to weather: caring for your child during a life and death set of events!
As the thunder rolls, I barely hear You whisper
Through the rain, "I'm with you."
And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise
The God who gives and takes away.
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands,
For You are who You are
No matter where I am.
And every tear I've cried,
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my hear is torn
I will praise You in this storm.
If Amanda could praise God in that storm of her life, how can I not praise Him in my tough times!? How can you not praise Him?
2 Corinthians 12:10 "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (NIV)
Malachi 3:2-3 "But who can endure the day of his coming? who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..." (NIV)
So...like most Americans, we are greatly feeling the money crunch. Pay cuts in our incomes have greatly impacted our household. But, we know that we are not alone in this area. Many of people in our country are facing situations like ours and so much worse. How easily we could become down-trodden.
Yet, what the Scriptures say is to praise the Lord in all situations. Through the good and the bad, God is always there by our sides. That in and of itself is worthy of our praise! WE ARE NOT ALONE!! Despite all of our hard times and difficulties, we have much for which to be thankful.
Personally, I am so thankful for my family. We have four miraculously healthy, beautiful children. We have a roof over our heads to call home. We have food to put on our table for meals. WOW! That is already so much for which to praise God! We have a beautiful church and a wonderful church family. And, we have the freedom to worship in our sanctuary and praise God, in the good times and in the bad times.
I have recently been through some of the hardest, darkest moments of my life. I began journaling my thoughts, my prayers, my fears, my joys. I began a diary to God. As I have come through those times and look back on my journal I realize it was at those lowest points that God's presence was felt the closest. When I surrendered and allowed myself to fully lean on Him, I found more strength. And despite still feeling down, I began to rejoice; I praised God. And what a blessing I gave myself by doing this.
I'm not saying that everything suddenly became all smiles and sunshine. I still had much to work through; however, I could praise God because He was there with me. I had sad parts, but I was able to see the good. I used that pain and hurt to grow...I grew closer in my relationship with Christ; I grew closer in my relationship with my husband; the two of us grew closer (as a couple) to God.
I don't feel that God caused these events that hurt me. however, as a dear friend once told me, God can make something beautiful from every situation. My friend also told me that those trials, "hot spots", were much like the heat that silver must endure while being refined. The refiner must hold the silver in the hottest part of the flame carefully watching so that it does not remain too long and become ruined. The refiner must keep a constant watch and must not remove the silver too soon either. And only when the silversmith can see his image in it is the silver refined and complete.
This analogy helped me so much. Those "hot spots" in my life were very painful, the very hottest of hot. And much like the silver, I needed refining. And, true to form, my Refiner never took His eyes from me. He remained vigilant in my refining process. And, once He again saw His image shining forth and reflecting from within me, my Refiner removed me from my "hot spots". How can we not praise a God whose promise is to always be with us?! How can we not offer praise for all He has done? How can we not offer praise for all He has not done yet? As I do in my everyday life, I found myself singing parts of songs as I wrote this. One chorus in particular rings true: "Blessed Be Your Name"
...You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be your name...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name!
The song says "my hear will CHOOSE...". It is our choice to praise God in the good and the bad. God gives us free will so to choose not to praise Him in the bad times is our choice to make. But, oh the glorious blessing that comes from choosing to praise Him at ALL times of our lives!
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from Heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God.
How true this chorus is! Our God is AWESOME and worthy of our praise. While He is all powerful, he is also all-loving. He never stops loving us. He is always with us, in the good and the bad. So, I encourage you to praise God in ALL things, in all times.
As I close, I'll leave you with one last set of lyrics by Casting Crowns ("Praise You in This Storm"). This song found a very special place in my heart when it touched my sister while she was caring for her son 2 1/2 years of age while he underwent cancer treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We all face "hot spots" or "storms" in our lives. What a storm to have to weather: caring for your child during a life and death set of events!
As the thunder rolls, I barely hear You whisper
Through the rain, "I'm with you."
And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise
The God who gives and takes away.
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands,
For You are who You are
No matter where I am.
And every tear I've cried,
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my hear is torn
I will praise You in this storm.
If Amanda could praise God in that storm of her life, how can I not praise Him in my tough times!? How can you not praise Him?
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