The Call to Rejoice

When I went to read my Bible this morning, God took me to Romans 12:12 "Rejoice in hope be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." If I believed in chance it would be ironic that this verse was in front of me. However, I believe in God's sovereignty.

The theme of God's message to me over the last few weeks has been to find contentment in Him, remember that His timing is always perfect, and choose joy. Back in July I wrote about this verse and was focused on hope. This time I read it and He tells me to rejoice. What an easy thing to say, but such a hard thing to do when the stress is overwhelming and the heart is heavy.

I decided to go back and read the entire chapter to make sure I understood the context of the verse. I found not only that I need to choose joy, but discerning God's will for my life also involves sacrifice, gifts, and love.

My mission statement, if I were ever to take the time to write one, might be drawn from Romans 12:

1. To offer myself as a living sacrifice

2. To choose transformation of my mind so that I can discern the perfect will of God

3. To think sensibly

4. To use the spiritual gifts He gracefully chose to give me

5. To love without hypocrisy

6. To choose joy in affliction

7. To choose to bless people by empathizing with their ups and downs, not curse them

8. To choose humility over pride

9. To take care of my enemies in their time of need

10. To conquer evil with good


I purposefully repeat that I choose these actions. As a great father, God teaches me but then gives me the free will to make my own choices. There are rewards and consequences for every choice I make. The reward I seek is a life that is "holy and pleasing to God" so that I am able to "discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God" for my life. (v. 1-2)

I do not always understand where circumstances in my life are taking me. And honestly, I get impaitient with the waiting. But if I choose to believe that God is in control, I know I can find the ability to rejoice.

Single Woman: The Thought Life

There are times that Satan has small victories in my thought life and I hate him for it. Every few months I seem to experience this cycle of feeling sorry for myself and the fact that I'm still single or that I don't yet have children of my own. There are sleepless nights spent thinking, wondering, and beating myself up about missed opportunities and opportunities that should have been missed.

Satan is an expert at placing self-doubt in these moments. The negative thoughts become a tidal wave. I am not pretty enough. Perhaps I'm unlovable; I don't deserve to find someone. I will always be alone. There must be something wrong with me... A woman's mind is so dangerous and at times Satan can be so strong.

I have several tricks I attempt to use to get rid of the negative talk. I sing a few of my favorite songs.  I quote scripture that it seems I've known forever to comfort me. And I pray. I know it's particularly bad when I wonder if God even hears me. Some of these sleepless nights I move to the couch and turn on the tv to focus my mind on something else. It seems I am just waiting out this horrendous cycle because this isn't me and this isn't the type of person I want to be.

I've said this before and I'll continue my mission to convince every woman to believe this about herself. I may not be the world's definition of beautiful; I may not turn heads when I enter a room. But my heavenly Father believes me to be the most beautiful being He's ever created. I am created in His image and I would never say that God is ugly! I am so loved that He sacrificed His Son so that I can spend eternity with Him. And I am never alone because He never leaves me. In the times I think He's not listening are the times that He is fighting a war with Satan over my life.

I've also always said that I'm willing to wait for what God has planned for me. There is a hope and peace in knowing that what God has planned for me is above and beyond what I have imagined for myself.

I still strongly believe that my day will come. I pray that the man who is to be my future husband is being blessed, following God's will for his life, and growing to be the kind of husband I need him to be. I pray that God is preparing me to be the wife my future husband deserves. I know that being a wife and mother will be the most important job I will ever have on this earth. I'm excited to get on with it... when it's the right time.

The Story of Charlie and Ava

Over this last weekend a friend and I took a trip to a local theme park for the day.  There was the possibility for rain, but in the midst of one of the worst droughts on record we decided to take our chances.  It was shortly after lunch when we arrived.  We loaded the tram for a ride to the front gate, and as if the heavens were waiting for a que, the torrential downpour began.  We got through the gate as fast as we could but not without being drenched.  It was so bad I had water in my eyes and my supposedly "waterproof" mascara was running down my face. 

The closest place to take up shelter just happened to be in a bakery.  It was divine intervention that led us there where we shared a giant homemade cinnamon roll!  We were not the only ones that chose the bakery for shelter.  Tables and chairs were scarce.  After asking an elderly lady, Ava, if she minded to share her table, we made some new friends.  Ava told us that she was with her husband and they had been on vacation for a month from their home in Phoenix, Arizona.  She talked about how they don't have rain there so the rain and the hills were something they were trying to get used to.  She even offered to share some of her food with us! 

After several minutes her husband, Charlie, came riding up in a motorized wheelchair wearing his recently purchased poncho.  Charlie was the talkative one and he was very eager to share his story.  Charlie asked us if we were in college because my friend was wearing a Mizzou t-shirt.  Now that was humorous considering we're not even close to college age anymore, but I guess to elderly people young people are just.... young!  That led to a discussion about our favorite collegiate football and basketball teams.  Charlie announced that he had attended Ohio State; therefore, he's a lifelong fan. 

I think Ava was talking to my friend, but Charlie sure got a hold of my ear.  He was dying to tell me about the circumstances surrounding how he met his beautiful wife Ava.  Charlie was married to his first wife for 44 years.  I do not know what happened to her, but I was led to believe she passed away.  Charlie knew God had to have someone for him, but no one had emerged just yet.  One night he knelt down at his bed to pray.  "There's no bargaining with God because He's always in control."  But he asked God to either send him someone or he was going to go buy a dog the next day.  That very night Ava emailed him.  They talked on the phone for 3 hours, and then.... they went to church together :)  They both admitted that their faith was the most important thing in their lives, and they needed someone that would share it.  Charlie was hooked!  They were married 6 months later, and they have now been together 6 years. 

Charlie also shared with me the accomplishments of his children and their wonderful marriages.  When his daughters were getting married, he told both his future son-in-laws that there were only two events that people attended in this family.  Weddings.  And funerals.  He informed them that people in his family did not get divorced and so they better make it work.  Ha ha.  I guess that's one way to get the point across. 

If Ava hadn't been ready to move, I think Charlie was prepared to start looking to find both my friend and I single Christian men.  Ava took off up the hill while Charlie tried to carefully maneuver his wheelchair and not run over anybody.  They were quite the comical pair. 

I don't believe in coincidence; I know God puts people in our paths for a reason.  The reasons are not always obvious, but maybe this time I just needed a good story that would make me smile :D  Charlie was quirky!  I admit there were times I had no idea what he was saying.  However, in that short conversation he shared with me his passion for the relationships in his life.  His children were important; his wife was important; above all, his relationship with God was important.  Not knowing whether or not I was a Christian, he began sharing with me how God worked in his life.  Once he found out I was a Christian, he was excited about the special connection we shared.  And even an elderly couple at a theme park gave us two single girls hope in finding someone to share life with because we're still..... young!

Lessons from Anne Shirley

Back in the day I used to be obsessed with reading.  My mother would take me to the library where I would check out as many books as I could carry only to have her take me back in a week or two because I had read them all already.  My favorites included Little House on the Prairie, anything written by Lurlene McDaniel, the Goosebumps Series, and Nancy Drew.  Oh how I wanted to be just like Nancy Drew!  Flipping through the TV guide on Sunday night I found a blast from my reading past that was made into a movie...  Anne of Green Gables.  There are so many sweet memories that rush to the forefront of my mind with this movie.  I remember that my mom shared this reading experience with me.  And I remember that she, my sister, and I loved this movie. 

As I was reminiscing on a part of my childhood innocence, I realized that Anne Shirley had some very important life lessons for all of us including:

          "True friends are always together in spirit."
          Wealth doesn't bring happiness.
          It is better to have one beau in his right mind than many in their wrong mind ;)
          Life goes on whether you succeed or fail.
          Forgive people when you have the chance.
          The truth will set you free.  (Remember the dead mouse in the pudding?!)
          Being smart is better than being good looking.
          Wealth is not measured by diamonds but by happiness and love.
          "Life is worth living as long as there's a laugh in it."
          Ambitions make life interesting.
          What you bring to the world is what really counts.
          It's better to try and fail than to not try at all.
          "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

It is so much fun to look back at the TV shows, books, and movies I enjoyed as a kid and realize there were life lessons to be learned.  Of course I didn't know it back then.  I do remember one particular song on Kids Inc. that struck a cord with me when I was little.  The only lines I could tell you now from the song (playing in a sing song voice in my head) is "You can't judge a book by it's cover. There's so much more to discover." 

After watching Miss Anne Shirley and all her shenanigans, the thought that tomorrow is a new day kept repeating itself in my mind.  Tomorrow doesn't have any mistakes... yet.  How refreshing is it to know that despite the many errors I have made today, I get a second chance tomorrow.  Of course I am human and I will make mistakes tomorrow, but today's mistakes are behind me. 

Throughout the Bible God gives second chances.  The Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh; Jonah fled.  He jumped into a ship going the opposite direction hoping to get away from God.  The Lord sent storms that threatened to break the ship, which would have likely killed everyone.  In order to escape the wrath of God Jonah was thrown overboard.  He was then swallowed by a whale.  Jonah could have drowned after being thrown into the sea; there are many ways he could have died.  But God let him live.  After his repentance he was given a second chance to do God's will.  "Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the Lord's command." (Jonah 3:3)  The outcome of Jonah's second chance was that "the men of Nineveh believed in God." (Jonah 3:5)

In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus that had been caught committing adultery.  Knowing that the law stated that she should be stoned to death, they asked Jesus what He thought should be done.  Jesus answered that if anyone was without sin among them then they could cast the first stone.  The crowd departed as everyone had their own sin.  "He said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'  'No one, Lord,' she answered. 'Neither do I condemn you,' said Jesus. 'Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.'" (John 8:10-11)

And let's not forget David, a man after God's own heart.  David's family didn't think much of him as his brothers went off to war and he stayed home to tend the sheep.  Ultimately, he became the hero when Goliath, hit by a stone from David' sling shot, fell to the ground.  He was a warrior with many victories that threw Saul into a jealous rage.  David went into hiding in order to stay alive.  Then there are the sins that David is unfortunately so famous for... adultery and murder.  Now there is some great evidence that God gives second chances.  David did have to suffer the consequences of his sin, but in the end he was able to find peace and hope in his relationship with God. 

Jonah, a woman caught in adultery, and David all got second chances.  There are many many more stories where the Lord showed grace and mercy after people messed up.  I mess up every day; and I'm an expert at beating myself up for it.  At the end of the day, if I have any regrets, there's comfort in knowing that tomorrow I can start over. 

So, thank you Miss Anne Shirley for the reminder!  In the words of David:

Then I acknowledge my sin to You and did not conceal my iniquity. 

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"

and You took away the guilt of my sin...

You are my hiding place;

You protect me from trouble.

You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.

Psalm 32:5,7

Hope Conquers Fear

I tend to get quiet when I'm processing a lot or having a difficult time, and I realized I haven't posted in a month. The last couple months have been difficult for me and as of right now I'm not sure where the end of the transition or adjustment will be. But there are a few words that keep jumping out at me during all of it... FEAR and HOPE. What does it mean?

Fear is the root of so many emotions. Anger can be rooted in the fear of being hurt or the fear of change. Jealousy is rooted in the fear of losing something. Depression is many times rooted in the fear of the unknown. It is so much easier to stay where it's comfortable, even in negative circumstances, because the unknown is terrifying! It cripples our ability to move forward and to take chances. It makes us a prisoner in our own lives.

But there's hope! There's hope that the circumstances surrounding me today are going to lead me into something better. Something grandeur. Possibly even something unimaginable for my human mind.

This verse has been ringing in my mind, "Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer." Romans 12:12. While I wade through life's growing pains, relying on God's strength to carry me, I should REJOICE. I will rejoice in all the promises God has made me. I rejoice in the hope that there's a purpose for affliction. I rejoice that I'm HIS child and that I'm protected by the Spirit.

If I live in God's will today, tomorrow will take care of itself. The hope that I rejoice in is that the Lord's will is going to bring me more happiness than I could ever experience if I were the one in control of my life. Allow hope to conquer fear so that tomorrow is overwhelmed with JOY.