Tag: Faithfulness of God

ACT-ing On Prayer

Pursuing a lifestyle of prayer means more than just coming to God with a list of requests and a couple of scattered “Thank You’s” every now and again. Prayer is a discipline– that means being a disciple of prayer! How can I learn to pray for effectively? Commune with God in a richer and more satisfying way? There are many tools and methods that can help with this. One of them is called the ACTS method.

ACTS is an acronym for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. And praying in this order can radically transform the way we enter into prayer and the way we respond to God’s answers. On a busy day, I often start prayer with my supplications– my requests, my needs, my hopes and desires. I may be approaching God, but my thoughts and heart are all about “what’s in this relationship for me!” “I want healing for ______, and protection for my family, and a resolution to this problem at work, and…”

But the ACTS method flips this order–it starts with Adoration. It begins by coming to God and acknowledging who HE IS. Worship will outweigh worry. Adoration accentuates God’s Ability and His Authority over whatever is on our mind. It also leads naturally into

Confession. Not the kind that masks false humility– “Woe is me, I’m so unworthy. I am a worm, and I don’t deserve to be happy or free or victorious in Christ.” Rather, confession comes as we recognize who we are in relation to God. We are not worthy of God’s blessings in our own righteousness, but IN CHRIST, we are able to come boldly before God in dependence and joyful acceptance of HIS righteousness. And we can’t accept it if we are still hanging on to old habits and sinful ways of thinking. We must agree with God, let go of whatever is holding us back, and gladly prepare to move forward!

Now we are in Thanksgiving mode. We are reminded of God’s mercy, and His faithful care of us. He has been faithful to answer prayers in the past, and to be with us, even in times of trouble and seeming silence. He IS there. He DOES listen. His mercies are new every morning! (Lamentations 2:22-23)

NOW, we are ready to present our Supplications. In fact, we are ready to follow the direction of the Apostle Paul, when he told the Philippian believers: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV).

There are many times when we pray in desperation or in a hurry about a specific need, when this approach can be modified. But for deep prayers during a quiet time, or in a small group, the ACTS method can really boost our connection with the Holy Spirit. We begin by thinking we are praying about “something,” and are amazed to re-discover that prayer is really about “someone!”

I have found that such prayers also cause me to more readily ACT in the matters I bring up for request. I’m not just turning them over to God because I am helpless and He is my last resort. Even when I “know” that is not the case, when I focus on the problem and not the Provider and Protector, I forget that He can give me the power to “do all things” (see Philippians 4:13) in Christ’s strength and for His Glory!

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Summer and Winter, and Springtime and Harvest

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not; thy compassions, they fail not–
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above:
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness. Great is Thy faithfulness;
Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided:
Great is Thy faithfulness, LORD unto me.

According to the calendar, it is spring in Michigan right now. But we’ve experienced nearly all four seasons in the past two weeks! Some days were mild and sunny, others were rainy, windy, chilly, and a couple of days were even blustery with snow and sleet! Flowers have started popping up, birds have been chirping, even as the snow flies! My hall tree is covered in jackets, winter coats, hats, scarves, and caps. A few days, I’ve been in short shirt sleeves and sunglasses; the next days, I’ve needed a coat, hat, and gloves!

But even in days of chaotic weather, God is faithful! Even when I can’t decide what to wear, God is with me. If it should suddenly snow in June (and that HAS happened in Michigan before), God will not abandon me. Just as each day brings its own weather, each day brings God’s blessings.

Some days those blessings may include sunshine and bird song. Other days may include a much-needed hug from a friend, or a shoulder to cry on. Some days will bring both joy and sorrow, with God in the center of each. Each raindrop, each chattering squirrel, each beam of sunlight– all testify to God’s enduring presence. Each bud on the tree, each new tadpole, each wildflower in the forest, remind me that God is faithful to bring new life out of even the dead of winter.

Spring is a wonderful time to reflect on the goodness of God, and His wisdom in creating seasons– wet, dry, cold, hot, restful, chaotic– God is master of all the seasons, and all the days of our lives. And that is a bright thought, no matter what the weather brings today!


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The Unchanging God

A few days ago, we had to reset all our clocks for “daylight savings time.” This is an artificial construct whereby we pretend that seven o’clock is really eight o’clock for several months in an attempt to “gain” more daylight hours. Several months from now, we will “move the clock back” to its “real” time. We talk about a “lost” hour which will be “regained” in the fall, but time is constant. There are still 24 hours in each day throughout the year. We are simply playing a game with time.

We live in a time of great changes. Whether it’s a “time change”, a change of government officials, climate changes, technological changes, and even physical changes as we age, we must learn to “roll with” and adapt to the many changes around us.

God does not change. All the changes in our life can leave us confused, frightened, agitated, and even angry. But God is constant. His love is constant. His nature does not change. His Word does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). We can trust Him to do what He has said He will do. We can rely on Him to be the same, regardless of the changes around us; regardless of the changes within us; regardless of our circumstances, our reactions, our failures, and our best efforts. Other people will let us down. Their love may be conditional or fleeting. Their promises can be broken. And the fact that we are so hurt by broken promises and sudden changes points to the reality of the unchanging God, and of our need for Him.

It can be tempting, with all the change around us, to doubt God’s faithfulness; to wonder, or even wish, that He, too, might change. Sometimes, we want Him to “bend” to fit in with our own desires, or to fit in with our society and culture. Surely, if the majority of our culture has changed, we believe that such change equals growth. We look at the past with disdain. “We just didn’t know better, then,” we say. And surely, if we know better now, God will recognize our new thoughts and attitudes as a positive change– in fact, God will change to fit our new awareness, our “better” way of thinking.

But that is not how it works. There are millions who believe that the “bad” days of slavery are behind us; others believe that the “legacy” of slavery is the greatest problem of our age. All without acknowledging that there are still millions of people who are enslaved– victims of the sex trade, victims of organ harvesting, victims of debt and war–even in our “modern” world. Abortion-on-demand still slaughters millions of human beings every year–in spite of our culture’s acceptance, and even championship of abortion as a “woman’s right.” Hundreds of thousands of young people are being mutilated because of our society’s growing belief that gender is “fluid” and God is not a good and wise creator.

While God’s unchanging nature can be a great comfort to the believer, it can be a stumbling block for those who listen to the roar of cultural voices, instead of the still small voice of the lover of their souls. And it can mean that Christians face misunderstanding and persecution as we hold God’s truths to be unchanging and unfailingly good.

I am choosing today to be grateful for God’s unchanging nature. I choose to celebrate that His promises are true; that His love never fails; that He is eternally wise; that His compassions are new every morning, and great is His faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

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Out of Time

We are saying goodbye to another year–It hardly seems like we’ve already reached the end of 2024. Time seems to travel faster each year, even though I know I have the same amount of time each day. But it feels like I keep running out of time! At some point, 2025 will “run out” of its designated time. We live in a world limited by time and space.

But God lives outside of earthly time and space– He rules them, bends them, and contains them in His sovereignty. I often write about the omnipresence of God– that He is everywhere. In fact, the only place He is NOT is Hell; and He’s even visited there, once… But God is also omnipresent in time. He IS the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob– always, and all at once, along with being the God of everyone who has ever called and will ever call upon His name to put their trust in Him. God IS in the past; He is ever present, and He is ALREADY in the future, acting and overseeing His plans and purposes.

With the birth of Jesus Christ, God did not step out of time– instead, He inserted Himself into time and space and obeyed the limits He Himself had placed. He came exactly when He had determined, exactly where, and exactly how He had planned. And the same is true of His death and resurrection. His death on the cross was not a moment too soon, and not a single second overdue. Yet, Jesus was at the mercy of the very time and space He had created. Just like us, He was limited to being in one place at a time, and limited to the circumstances around Him.

Nothing shows this better than the story of Lazarus (John 11). A close friend of Jesus, Lazarus became mortally ill. Word was sent to Jesus so He could come immediately and heal Lazarus, but He delayed in coming. He delayed for two days, continuing to work where He was before going to help friend. He knew that Lazarus would not survive. By the time He arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had not only died, but had been buried. Both of Lazarus’s sisters greeted Jesus with the same rebuke–” If you had been here, my brother would not have died…” The God who is everywhere, always, was limited by His physical form, and had to walk to Bethany. He could not continue to work in one area, and be in Bethany at the same time. Nor could He stop time and space so the Lazarus’s sickness could “wait” for Jesus’s arrival days later. But the Sovereign, Omnipresent God had not “run out of time” to save His friend. Even in His human form, in His “inability” to get to Bethany “in time,” Jesus was acting according to His Sovereign plan. He brought Lazarus out of the grave! He was “there” in all of His power and mercy. And He was precisely where and when He needed to be!

As we enter a new year, it comes with limitations–12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, and so on–we can’t see what will happen, or where we will be in March or September. It may seem that God is “late,” or “absent” in our circumstances. We may be tempted to stop praying when we don’t see immediate answers. We may, like Mary and Martha, be tempted to scold the very author of Life when we don’t get the answer we want when we want it.

This year, let us remember that God is beyond time and space. This allows us to trust that He can and will do what is best, when it is best. It also allows us to trust that God can make the most of OUR time as we trust it to Him. We may be limited to 24 hours a day, but we serve a God who can stretch and bend time, and supplement even our smallest efforts and resources with the endless riches of His Grace!

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Recipe for Prayer

I love to cook. I’ve been cooking for most of my life, and sometimes, I don’t use a recipe. Often, it’s a dish I’ve made so many times, I make it from memory. Other times, I’m adapting for ingredients I have, or substituting one cooking technique for another.

But I don’t recommend creating a new dish without a recipe or guideline. Cooking is a lot like chemistry– too much of one ingredient, or leaving out another one entirely, can result in disaster! You can’t just throw together a little of this and a little of that, cook it for who knows how long, and expect good results.

The same can be said for pursuing prayer as a lifestyle. I use a “recipe” for prayer. And yes, there are times when I vary from it. But a good, healthy prayer LIFE should contain the following four ingredients:

Praise/Worship/Adoration: After all, we are not praying to an unknown being with unknown qualities. We are praying to the One True God, whose marvelous attributes are worthy of unending praise. If I am praying regularly, and NOT praising God, what is the purpose of my prayer? It can devolve into a laundry list of my complaints, worries, wishes, and whims, instead of being a conversation between a child and her Beloved and Faithful Father.

Confession/Repentance/Review: This ingredient is a stumbling block for many people. If we have been forgiven, why do we need to confess or repent? God already knows our deeds, and Jesus’ death and resurrection have already removed our sins as far as the East is from the West, right? Right. But Confession is not about beating ourselves up over wrongs we cannot undo. Rather, it is simply agreeing with God about our condition and actions. Yes, Jesus has forgiven me. But I need to acknowledge who I am before Him. I am forgiven, not by being better than someone else, or even better than I was before, but because God has extended His Grace and Mercy. And if I don’t remind myself of this fundamental truth, I may forget, and begin to believe that I no longer “need” God’s mercy in my life.

Asking/Requests/Supplication: Supplication is an old word that means asking or pleading. Once again, this can be a stumbling block in a couple of different ways. As with confession, God already knows what we are going to ask. He already knows our needs. Saying them isn’t about making God aware; it’s about giving us a chance to seek HIS mercy, HIS will, and HIS answer. And it’s about acknowledging HIS sovereignty in all aspects of our life. I can’t count the number of times I have asked God for something, and realized that I was not really asking, but rather trying to dictate to God what I wanted to have happen. If I’ve started with the first two ingredients above, I quickly realize that, while God knows what is in my heart, He also knows what is best– and often that is much larger or better than I can imagine!

Thanksgiving/Responding/Yielding: The last ingredient in a healthy prayer life is a heart bursting with Thanksgiving and willing response to God’s Love and Care in my life. Prayer is, at heart, a conversation we have with God. And part of any good relationship is affirming that bond. If I talk with my friend, and even ask a favor, or share some of my burdens, I don’t just walk away without acknowledging how much their friendship and love mean to me– regardless of whether they respond immediately to my request. And I don’t listen to their loving advice and support and walk away as though they never spoke. Prayer should include a time of saying, “YES!” to our relationship with Jesus. YES, I trust you. YES, I gladly accept Your will and all the blessings You have provided in my life. YES, I will obey you and follow you!

Of course, every prayer and every pray-er is unique. Some prayers will have more asking than confessing; others will be “heavy” on Thanksgiving (especially those coming up later this month!). But it is good to stop and consider how the “ingredients” of prayer are producing a harvest in the way we live and the way we pursue a Godly lifestyle. For more about this topic, see https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-acronym/ and also https://proverbs31mentor.com/acts-prayer/.

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“We Hold These Truths…”

Earlier this week, we celebrated Constitution Day in the United States. It went largely unheralded. The United States Constitution– the document on which all other laws are supposed to be based in this country– is relatively small. It takes about a half-hour to read it through, including all 27 amendments. It takes much longer to understand and make sense of it. One document that helps define and explain the Constitution is the Declaration of Independence.

One of the key phrases in the Declaration is this: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

But looking around today, it seems that not all American hold ANY truths to be self-evident– indeed, many people don’t hold any truths to be true! We like to pay lip-service to one phrase– “All men are created equal…” but even here, we cringe and rephrase it. “It’s not just ‘men’ who are equal– all genders are equal” “Everybody is equal.” But what do we mean by this new phrase? It is self-evident (I would argue) that everyone is NOT equal in all ways. Some of us are taller than others, or healthier or wealthier than others; some of us live longer than others. Some of us work in offices; others work in the wind and rain and snow. Some of us live in large mansions, while others live in motor homes, apartments, hospital rooms, or even homeless shelters. The “Truth” is that we are CREATED equal– we are equally valued by our Creator, and equally entitled to dignity, life, liberty, and the “pursuit of happiness” under the laws of the land. Our laws are not supposed to create an artificial “equality” of outcome or circumstance, but provide for equal protection and opportunities for everyone to live, experience freedom, and pursue their individual purpose and dignity.

And we are losing the self-evident truth that Government should derive its just powers from the consent of the governed– not the arbitrary will of unelected bureaucrats appointed without public consent and answerable to no one.

We have lost the self-evident Truth, and replaced it with clever and complicated ideals.

None of this is new, however. All the way back in the days of ancient Israel, the people lost the self-evident Truth about their nation and its unique covenant with God. The Covenant was simple. It did not take a long time to read through. There were Ten Commandments and several “amendments” of ceremonial and social rules. God gave Moses a list of promises– blessings and curses–if the nation of Israel would (or would not) uphold their portion of the covenant. God would be their ruler, and they would be His People.

But after the death of Moses and his successor, Joshua, the people abandoned the law and the covenant, until chaos reigned, and God invoked many of the curses against His own people. By the end of the book of Judges, we learn that, “..in those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own sight.” (Judges 21:25)

Such conduct led to Israel being invaded, defeated, and oppressed. Worse, they approached their religious leader, Samuel the Priest/Prophet, and asked for a human king in order to be just like the other nations– nations God had called out for being wicked, violent, and unjust. The reign of kings failed, too, and the nation was again invaded, dragged off to exile, and oppressed.

“We hold these truths..” is more than just a phrase in a national document. It is a guideline for justice, peace, and prosperity.

WE– It doesn’t work for the people of any nation to be divided about what constitutes Truth. “My truth,” “Your truth,” and “their truth” can’t live together in harmony.

HOLD– We must be firm in our commitment to the Truth, or we will be swept away by the latest philosophy, moral standard, or faddish practices of the world around us. That doesn’t mean that we can never admit a need for change– that’s what the amendment process is for– but when we keep letting go of standards which have preserved safety and guaranteed opportunity, replacing them with temporary power grabs and loosely defined concessions to the loudest complainers, we are headed for nationwide injustice, violence, and oppression

THESE– There are other “truths” we could have adopted back at the founding of our nation. We could have set up another monarchy. We could have developed an oligarchy, made up of a ruling class. We could have argued that only land-owners were “equal.” That life was not an “unalienable” right. That representative government was inefficient, and therefore not necessary.

TRUTHS– Not suggestions. Not prevailing opinions of the day. TRUTHS. Immutable, unchanging, solid, objective.

And what goes for the United States should be a warning for Christians everywhere. We are citizens of Heaven. There are truths that we should hold to– truths that should be self-evident in the life of every Christian.
Jesus is LORD– not just a pal; not just a guru or a good teacher. He is the LORD.
God doesn’t change– What He said a thousand years ago about loving God and loving your neighbor still applies today. He hasn’t changed His mind about life, or liberty, or the pursuit of righteousness… He hasn’t become less powerful or less Holy, that we should just do “whatever is right in our own eyes..”
God’s Word hasn’t changed–His promises still hold; His warnings are still meant to be heeded; His will is still evident.
God’s grace is sufficient! God is HOLY and JUST. And He is full of Mercy and Love. He will forgive; He will empower us to do His will; He will continue to transform us as we follow Him.
God is Greater than Government. Whatever system of Government we live under in this life, God’s Kingdom is greater, more just, and everlasting.

These are truths worth holding! No matter what happens to the United States or its Constitution, I will continue to hold to the Truth of the Bible above all. May God in His Grace give us the strength, wisdom, and will to hold fast to what is true, and not just what is “American.”

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Of Angelic Visions, Devilled Eggs, and Family Blessings

Yesterday, David and I attended a family reunion. It was a relaxed atmosphere of cousins and siblings reuniting to share memories, and great food! As with all family gatherings, there were some who couldn’t make it– work, previous commitments, travel tangles, etc. Others chose not to come– some have been hurt in the past; others never saw their invitation; some just don’t like the other members of our family or don’t want to spend their time with family when they could be doing something else…

David and I went, not only because we genuinely enjoy spending time with family members, but also because I wanted to share the progress of a book I’m writing about our shared ancestors, George and Lila Green of Penn Township, Cass County, Michigan. I’m named after my great-grandmother, and I have been blessed to receive several boxes of memorabilia, including letters, photos, diaries, and other writings that cover many of the events and memories of their lives spanning over fifty years of marriage. I’m excited to have access to so many primary source materials for a family history.

As I brought in my “dish to pass,” I noticed that one of my cousins had the exact same idea as me! We had each brought two trays of devilled eggs– 40 each and 80 all together! We compared notes on recipes, and agreed to taste each other’s eggs to make sure they were all good– and they were all awesome. There were only a few eggs left after all the food was eaten– and there were fewer than 80 people in attendance, so it seems that almost everyone enjoyed at least one egg, and several came back for seconds, in spite of the fact that there were other wonderful dishes to enjoy. There can never be too many devilled eggs at a family reunion!

Before I got a chance to share about my book with everyone, I spoke with a couple of my cousins, and they shared some of their memories of my great-grandmother. Near the end of her life, she battled cancer, and near the end of her earthly struggle, she imparted to some of her grandchildren that she had a vision of an angel asking her if she was “ready to go.” She answered that she was. A few days later, she passed into glory. This was a great comfort to those who faced “losing” their loved one. Two different cousins recounted the same tale, which confirmed for me that her words (and her strong faith) had a great impact on our family.

One of the reasons I feel compelled to tell the story of my great-grandparents is the lasting legacy of Faith and Family that they left behind. From just two people who married in1909, the family grew over a century to include over 500 individuals! And, while some of them have abandoned the faith (and/or the family), most have stayed connected– we’ve had family members who have served as ministers, missionaries, Sunday School teachers, BIble study leaders–even a stray blogger or two! In every generation, we have had family members who can testify to the power of God’s love, His provision, His healing, and His faithfulness.

In sharing about my book, I read passages from Lila Green’s diary recounting her attendance at a church Christmas Program at the little country church where, years later, I would first hear the truth of the Gospel. She was so excited that 14 of her family members were part of the program, while 19 family members were in attendance! Some who were at the family reunion were among those 19 members attending church with Lila Green almost 70 years ago. And many in the fourth and fifth generation after her came to the reunion after attending church with their families in a different millennium. I also read about some of George and Lila Green’s own ancestors– many of whom served in churches dating back to the American Colonial Era– Quaker Churches and Baptist Churches and log cabin churches and churches held in homes and school buildings over two centuries removed from our small gathering yesterday.

Bethel Community Church– where over four generations
of my family were introduced to the Gospel!

God is faithful. God created families to demonstrate His faithfulness across generations. When we teach our children about God, we continue to proclaim that faithfulness to the next generation. And when we teach about our family history, we demonstrate God’s faithfulness, not just to the patriarchs of the Bible but to “real” people just like us– people who faced sickness, hardship, and loss. People who had pets and hobbies, and even squabbles with their siblings over toys! Yet God has been there over all the years, teaching, giving wisdom, and loving them–and us– every hour of every day.

I think God was listening in when my cousins recounted my great-grandmothers vision. I think He probably had fun watching my cousin and I trading “devilled egg” recipes and tips. And I know He looked lovingly at each precious family member yesterday– those in attendance, as well as those we missed seeing.

I know not everyone has a happy family legacy like mine. But I also know that it’s never too late to start one! Who knows what another 100 years might bring to your descendants?! Who knows what kind of legacy you can leave behind? God knows! I pray that you will be aware this week of all the many ways God has blessed you over the years– perhaps through your family legacy…perhaps in spite of it–and that you will experience gratitude, peace, and joy in the knowledge of how God can take even just two people and bless thousands!

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I Don’t Care What You Know..

There is a saying: “I don’t care what you know, until I know that you care.” I went to the bank yesterday, and there was a line. There were only two tellers available (other bank workers were dealing with larger issues in their offices, so there was no back-up, either). Both drive-thru windows had lines, as well. This is a small bank, but a recent closure of a nearby branch means that it is now busier than before, with the same amount of staffing.

The woman ahead of me in line was impatient and angry. She kept repeating the obvious– “They need more tellers! There aren’t enough tellers!” She was rude and demanding, and when she finally got to the front, and a teller (harassed and overworked) patiently and politely asked how she could help, the customer repeated, “You need more tellers here!” The teller explained that corporate policy allows only so many workers per shift, and they were all busy. It was the first of the month– one of their busiest days for cashing checks and dealing with monthly payments. The customer, somewhat abashed, apologized for her rudeness.

The customer “knew” that she would have been served faster if there were more tellers at the front. She knew how SHE would like to have the bank policy play out in her favor. But she didn’t really know the whole story. Her snap judgment wasn’t based on complete knowledge, but on emotion and assumption.

Earlier this week, I was praying about a woman I know slightly. I had heard that she was in a bad housing situation. Her house needed major repairs, and she could not afford them. I prayed that God would act, providing her with “better living conditions.” I assumed that God might provide for her to get a new roof or water heater, or pay down some of her bills. The next day, I heard that her house burned down!

What should I make of God’s response to my prayer? Did He not hear me? Doesn’t God care? Is He laughing at this woman’s misfortune? Is He laughing at my feeble and vague prayer request? Someone reading just the details I have provided (my prayer, and the incident of the fire) might decide they “know” that God is malicious or that He simply doesn’t exist or answer prayer. But are they correct in that conclusion?

NO! God cares. He cares deeply. I was moved out of concern to pray for a woman I barely know. Many others have been praying for her for several weeks, as well as offering her counsel and help in trying to find alternative housing or financial assistance. I don’t know the true extent of her needs– not just housing, but her spiritual, emotional, and other physical needs. God does! We tend to put our hope and trust in our circumstances– even desperate ones– and our ability to control, manipulate, or just survive them. This house had been a burden for a long time, yet the woman steadfastly endured high bills, bad roofing, and poor conditions.

God IS answering my prayer– and the prayers of many others– as help is pouring in for this woman. She was uninjured in the fire, and she has a temporary place to stay. Furthermore, she has people helping her plan ahead for permanent housing, financial needs she will have in the next few weeks and months, and making sure she does not have to face this tragedy alone.

Sometimes, God’s blessings are wrapped in sorrows. Sometimes, we must endure waiting, hardship, and even loss in order to experience growth and peace. Sometimes, we have to deal with impatient customers, long lines, or personal tragedy. God KNOWS. He doesn’t just know our present circumstances and pain. He knows the final outcome, and all that He wants to accomplish THROUGH our present circumstances. And God CARES. He cared about the angry customer in front of me at the bank. He cared about the overworked teller waiting on us. He cared about the woman who lost her house. He cares about each one– no matter what circumstances may suggest. He does not leave us alone in our trials– even when it may feel like He has abandoned us. There are people somewhere in the world praying for you right now. They don’t know what will happen to you today or tomorrow, but they know that God is sovereign. And the Holy Spirit prompts them to pray, even when they don’t know, for God to bless you, protect you, and watch over you.

Two things I have taken away from my experiences the other day: First– God is ALWAYS Trustworthy! I said a quick prayer for the harassed teller and her customer as I waited in line (it’s not like I didn’t have any time to pray!) And sure enough, as she waited on the woman and then on me, the lines at the drive thru windows melted away. She was able to take time to explain her situation to the customer ahead of me, and she was able to take her time waiting on us both. She kept her temper in check and managed to smile through the transactions! And her calm response helped the customer realize her rudeness and apologize. I don’t think that was just coincidence. And I don’t think it was coincidence that several people have been praying for weeks about the other woman’s housing situation. The fire wasn’t an answer to our prayers– our prayers were preparing for an answer to the fire!

The second reminder– Pray without ceasing (1Thessalonians 5:17). While my experience at the bank called for immediate prayer and found an immediate response, my other prayers have been going on for weeks and months. Nothing seemed to be happening. Yet God was preparing for an event I had no way of foreseeing. We want quick answers to prayer. We want easy answers to our prayers. But God’s ways are not our ways. His ways are mysterious to us, but they are for the best, not just the most convenient.

When we pray, God doesn’t care what we KNOW (or think we know). And He doesn’t always give us the knowledge we’re looking for. But He KNOWS! And He CARES! He honors the prayers we lift up because we know Him, and because we care about others.

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What I Saw– What I Learned

Yesterday, I spent time scrolling and playing games on-line.
I saw patterns and pictures and memes.
I read articles and posts and e-mails.

I learned that the English word “ogre” comes from French, and the French word is from a translation of an Arabic tale.
I learned that some dogs can be trained to walk on tightropes.
I learned that the least populated state capital in the U.S. is Montpelier, Vermont; the second least populated is Pierre, South Dakota.
I learned that grown women will act like second-graders on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, resorting to name-calling and screeching. And that their behavior will be talked about and analyzed for hours afterward.

Today, I spent some time walking around my neighborhood.
I saw flowers in bloom.
I heard the train as it came through town.
I saw houses and cars and people walking their dogs (not on tightropes!)

I learned that it was pleasantly warm outside, but it felt good in the shade.
I learned that one of the stores downtown was closed today due to a family crisis.
I learned that crews have been working to freshen up the curbs and landscaping around the downtown.
I met someone new, and learned that she likes dachshunds (though hers cannot walk on a tightrope).

Tomorrow, I’m going to spend some time with my eyes closed.
I’m going to “see” God’s faithfulness as I review my life.
I’m going to get a glimpse of how God is working in my life, and in the lives of others around me.
(I’m going to wonder about how God will work in other situations.)
I’m going to see how small my world is in relation to God’s universe!

I don’t know what I will learn, yet. But I’m quite sure it will be beyond my expectations. And more wonderful than dogs on tightropes and neatly manicured curbs! There is so much more to see! So much more to learn! What majesty!

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Why Say Grace?

When I was growing up, we always said grace before our meals. It wasn’t an afterthought; it wasn’t an affectation. It was just part of the meal. We sat down, said grace, and started eating. Sometimes, Dad did the honors; sometimes, it was Mom. And sometimes, my sister or I were asked to say it. It was usually something simple, though it wasn’t always the same. We would say grace at home, around our own table, and we would say grace at restaurants– wherever and whenever our family was together for a meal.

Today, my husband and I have the same tradition. We don’t have children in the house, but he and I take turns saying grace, and if one of the grandkids happens to visit, they know they may be asked to take a turn, as well. If David and I are eating out, we still take a quiet moment to hold hands, close our eyes, and say grace. Some times, other diners or wait staff will stare (or glare) or comment, but most of the time, they don’t even notice.

So why do we do it? Is it no more than force of habit? Are we just “holier” than other diners? Do we really think it impresses God if we say grace, or that God will be angry if we don’t say it?

No. But we believe saying grace is important. Here are some reasons why:

  • Grace is about gratitude. In our busy lives, it can be tempting to take things for granted– even things like food and family. We are BLESSED to have food to eat, and family with whom to share it. We are blessed when we go out to eat to have others cook and clean up for us. We are blessed whenever our family or neighbors can share a meal with us. God is a loving and gracious God, and grace is a time to remember our blessings.
  • Grace slows us down for just a minute to REMEMBER who we are, and who God is! All our blessings– including food and family and time to share them– come from God. Grace reminds us to be humble as well as thankful. It reminds us to see God’s hand at work in even the smallest and most mundane happenings in our lives. And it reminds us that God is faithful in all things, big and small.

  • Grace also helps us to remember to thank the people involved in our meals– the ability to buy groceries; the work it takes to prepare our food; friends and family who share our meals; neighbors who have given or traded with us for food; the cooks and wait staff that serve us at restaurants. Saying grace helps us SEE how we are interconnected; how we depend on God and on others in every area of our lives.
  • Grace gives us the opportunity to lift up our immediate worries and give them to God, instead of holding on to them. Grace is more than just a quick word about food. It is a time for us as a couple (or a family) to pray together about worries that are on our minds. Then, instead of being stressed as we eat, we can stay “in the moment” with each other, and enjoy mealtime together! It’s also a great way to share our thoughts, feelings, and concerns in a safe and informal environment. How much better mealtime is when stress and frustration are diminished, and joy and peace are given a seat at the table, instead!

Saying grace is much more than just a quaint habit from a bygone era. It is a vital part of our growth as individual Christians, and as a Christian couple. I believe it is a simple and quiet witness to others. I believe it has benefits for our digestion, our attitudes, and our emotions, as well.

Grace– not just the mealtime prayer, but the concept of Grace– is not loud or showy. It is, however, consistent, lovely, and powerful. May we say grace; may we show grace; may we live in the power of Grace today!

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